Imaginary friend at 18 months?

Question

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My son sometimes points at nothing and says "boy" or "Patrick." He will then clap or laugh, or sometimes just stare at the spot where he pointed. We don't know where he ever heard the name "Patrick."

Is it normal to have an imaginary friend at 1 1/2 years old? Is this something we should ignore, or encourage, or what?

Answer 1

I completely understand your dilemma.  My oldest son had many imaginary friends and at 4 he still does.  At first it freaked me out cause he was an only child and would talk to someone and play with them, and I didn't see anyone.  Once my Uncle died, however he started to talk to him.  He was around 18months when it happened.  My uncle and my son were close, he called my uncle Laa-Laa.  When he walked around talking to Laa-Laa after he died, I got really freaked out.  But before Laa-Laa died I realized he had imaginary friends.

My second son also went through a faze at that age, but he talked to Grandpa.  He had never said the word before, and the first time he said it I figured he was learning how to say it.  When he started pointing to the picture of my Grandfather, who died 2yrs before he was born, and saying Grandpa and then talking to him I worried a little.  It got even weirder when he would walk around the house and talk to Grandpa.  He would even look up like he was seeing him, when I asked him who he was talking to he would point to the air and say Grandpa.  

With your son I would watch and see how he is acting, if he's not scared I wouldn't worry either way.  If you believe it is an imaginary friend encourage it.  He's using his imagination and learning.

Answer 2

At 18 months old, most kids don't have the full imagination thing going on so it's more than likely that it's a ghost or spirit.  Don't freak out tho.  Just let your son do his thing.  If the ghost or spirit isn't hurting him then you have no need to fret about it.  Kids are the ones that are more likely to see them and have conversation with them.  It's fine.

Answer 3

you should do some research on your home, on past tenants, you can go to the local city hall and get info... or go to the library and look up if any boys named patrick died...

Answer 4

the girls talking about ghosts and spirits could possibly be correct. i only say this because of something my 3 1/2 year old son said to me one day.

he was playing in his room  talking to himself, or so i thought. i wasn't really listening to what he was saying, but when he came out to the living room, i asked who he was talking to, and he said the "little boy with the white lips".

kinda creepy.

Answer 5

Strange..My daughter is 13 months and she points at things all the time mumbling things that sound like "whats that?" so maybe thats what he is doing. He just wants to know what it is that he is pointing at.. either that or he is seeing things from the other side, maybe he will be physic? that would freak me out lol He could be seein his spirit guide.  

Answer 6

Do you think maybe he could actually be seeing someone?  A ghost perhaps?

Answer 7

When I was about his age, my mother told me that I would absolutely refuse to go into our kitchen alone. I would scream, cry, and throw myself right onto the floor where the threshold to the kitchen was. Later when we moved out of our house we learned that two children died in that house from TB. Kids are great on picking up on things in the spiritual realm. Maybe he senses something you don't.

Answer 8

I don't want to freak you out - but it's very possible that he is seeing a spirit.  Children a very susceptible to seeing spirits because they have very open minds.

Have you asked him about it?  

Answer 9

i dont think theres anything wrong with that, hes so young, its probably nothing....

my 2 year old neighbor talks to her food, and to trees lol, i think its cute.

she'll go up to the tree in the backyard and say "look tree! look at my shirt!!!"  and she'll say "hi strawberry!"  and then eat it...

go figure

Answer 10

My son had an imaginary friend from the age of 2 till he was 6, and he is fine.

i wouldn't worry about it.