Erowid
 
 
Plants - Drugs Mind - Spirit Freedom - Law Arts - Culture Library  
Erowid References Database
Eggers C. 
“Die akute optische Halluzinose im Kindesalter. Klinische, differentialtypologischa, neurophysiologische und entwicklungspsychologische Aspekte”. 
Fortschritte Neurol Psychiat.. 1975;43:441-470.
Abstract
By introducing the definition "hallucinosis" it has become possible to confine the psychoses of organic origin more closely Therefore, this term should also be used in pediatry and pedopsychiatry in order to designate cases with corresponding clinical aspects. Thus, according to the phenomenological characteristics of such syndromes as described in this paper, it is justified to emphasize that the acute hallucinosis in children is- a special type of disease as compared to other psychoses caused by exogenic influences in this age group. The lO case reports deal with visual hallucinoses which turned out to be characteristically different compared to those in adults. Hallucinating children at the age of 3 to 9 years predominantly visualized animáls and legendary beings. Contrary- to findlngs in adults, scenic and systematized vìsions were scarcely noticed, which psychodevelopmentally 'may be-áttributed to the fact that creative power in' children is still little pronounced. Etiologically intoxications and infectiòus diseases were the'cause for the visual hallucinations ' of the lO children described. In' the development of visual halincinations somatic and psychic factors are significant. They have been discussed on the basis of today's knowledge. As today, however, there 'exists no satisfactory theory concerning the conditions favoring the development of hallucinations. To explain the somatogenesis of visual hallucinations three theories have been outlined, based on the present neuro - physiological findings. It has been worked out that especially in children emotion plays an essential role in the origin of hallucinations. In infancy and early school age, while rational control of reality is still suppressed to a greaí extcat, domination of emotional life goes along with lack of differentiation. At the same time the difference between imagination and perception is still little precise; therefore, phenomena, impressing as hallucinations in the adult, occur with greater facility in children.
Comments and Responses to this Article
#
Submit Comment
[ Cite HTML ]