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November 1986, Vol 140, No. 11 >
Article | November 1986

Childhood Near-Death Experiences FREE

Melvin Morse, MD; Paul Castillo, MD; David Venecia, MD; Jerrold Milstein, MD; Donald C. Tyler, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

Accepted for publication June 24, 1986.

Reprint requests to 4300 Talbot Rd S, Renton, WA 98055 (Dr Morse).


Am J Dis Child. 1986;140(11):1110-1114. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1986.02140250036031.
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• We nonselectively interviewed 11 patients aged 3 through 16 years who had survived critical illnesses, including cardiac arrests and profound comas. Any memory of a time they were unconscious was considered to be a near-death experience (NDE) and was recorded. Seven of these children had memories that included (1) being out of the physical body (six patients), (2) entering darkness (five patients), (3) being in a tunnel (four patients), and (4) deciding to return to the body (three patients). We also interviewed 29 age-matched survivors of illnesses that required intubation, narcotics, benzodiazepines, and admission to an intensive care unit. None of them had any memories of the time they were unconscious. In our study population, NDEs were clearly associated with surviving a critical illness. The elements of NDEs reported are similar to those previously described in adults. No children described elements of depersonalization as part of their NDEs. A core NDE, triggered by the process of dying or resuscitation efforts, may be a natural developmental experience. We present a neurophysiologic hypothesis as to the cause of NDEs.

(AJDC 1986;140:1110-1114)

REFERENCES

1 +
Greyson B, Stevenson I:  The phenomenology of near-death experiences . Am J Psychiatry 1980;;137:1193-1196.
2 +
Sabom M: Recollections of Death: A Medical Investigation . New York, Harper & Row Publishers Inc, 1982;.
3 +
Ring K: Life at Death: A Scientific Investigation of the Near Death Experience . New York, Quill, 1982;.
4 +
Morse M:  A near-death experience in a 7-year-old child . AJDC 1983;;137:959-961.
5 +
Noyes R:  Near death experiences: Their interpretation and significance , in Kastenbaum R (ed): Between Life and Death . New York, Springer Publishing Co Inc, 1979;, pp 73-88.
6 +
Heim A:  Notizen ueber den Tod durch Absturz . Jahrb Schweiz Alpenklub 1892;;27:327.
7 +
Comer NL, Madow L, Dixon JJ:  Observations of sensory deprivation in a life-threatening situation . Am J Psychiatry 1967;;124:164-169.
8 +
Stephens JH, Shaffer JW, Carpenter WT:  Reactive psychoses . J Nerv Ment Dis 1982;;170: 657-663.
Link to Article
9 +
Langness LL: Hysterical psychosis:  The cross-cultural evidence . Am J Psychiatry 1967;;124:143-152.
10 +
Ferguson SM, Rayport M, Gardner R, et al:  Similarities in mental content of psychotic states, spontaneous seizures, dreams, and responses to electrical brain stimulation in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy . Psychosom Med 1969;;31:479-498.
11 +
Lisansky J, Strassman RJ, Janowsky D, et al:  Drug-induced psychoses , in Tupin JP, Halbreich U, Pena JJ (eds): Transient Psychosis: Diagnosis, Management and Evaluation . New York, Brunner/Mazel Inc, 1984;, pp 80-111.
12 +
Talbott JA, Teague JW:  Marihuana psychosis . JAMA 1969;;210:299-302.
Link to Article
13 +
Hollister LE:  Drug-induced psychoses and schizophrenic reactions: A critical comparison . Ann NY Acad Sci 1962;;96:80-93.
Link to Article
14 +
Schnapper N:  The psychological implications of severe trauma: Emotional sequelae to unconsciousness . J Trauma 1975;;15:94-98.
Link to Article
15 +
Blacher RS:  The hidden psychosis of open-heart surgery: With a note on the sense of awe . JAMA 1972;;222:305-308.
Link to Article
16 +
Abram HS:  Adaptation to open-heart surgery: A psychiatric study of response to the threat of death . Am J Psychiatry 1965;;122: 659-668.
17 +
Bliss EL, Rumel WR, Branch CHH:  Psychiatric complications of mitral surgery . Arch Neurol 1955;;74:249-252.
Link to Article
18 +
Katz NM, Agle DP, DePalma RG, et al:  Delirium in surgical patients under intensive  care. Arch Surg 1972;;104:310-313.
Link to Article
19 +
Baxter S:  Psychological problems of intensive care . Br J Hosp Med 1974;;41:875-885.
20 +
Wooston JL:  Psychiatric aspects of a pediatric intensive care unit . Yale J Biol Med 1984;;57: 97-110.
21 +
Blacher RS:  Awareness during surgery . Anesthesiology 1984;;61:1-2.
22 +
Moody RA: Life After Death . New York, Bantam Books Inc, 1975;.
23 +
Egdell HG, Kolvin I:  Childhood hallucinations . J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1972;;13: 279-287.
Link to Article
24 +
Weiner MF:  Hallucinations in children . Arch Gen Psychiatry 1961;;5:544-553.
Link to Article
25 +
Butler RN:  The life review: An interpretation of reminiscence in the aged . Psychiatry 1963;;26:65-76.
26 +
Wallace AF:  Cultural determinants of response to hallucinatory experience . Arch Gen Psychiatry 1959;;1:74-85.
Link to Article
27 +
Gabbard GO, Twemlow SW: With the Eyes of the Mind: An Empirical Analysis of Out-of-Body States . New York, Praeger Publishers, 1984;, pp 154-166.
28 +
Meduna LT: Carbon Dioxide Therapy: A Neurophysiological Treatment of Nervous Disorders . Springfield, Ill, Charles C Thomas Publishers, 1950;, pp 17-36.
29 +
Grof S, Halifax J: The Human Encounter With Death . New York, EP Dutton, 1977;, pp 63-108.
30 +
Rogo DS:  Ketamine and the near-death experience . Anabiosis 1984;;1:87-96.
31 +
Wilson SL, Vaughan RW, Stephen CR:  Awareness, dreams and hallucinations associated with general anesthesia . Anesth Analg 1975;;5: 609-617.
32 +
Penfield W:  The role of the temporal cortex in certain psychical phenomena . J Ment Sci 1955;;101:451-465.
33 +
Penfield W, Rasmussen T: The Cerebral Cortex of Man: A Clinical Study of Localization of Function . New York, Macmillan Publishing Co Inc, 1950;, pp 157-181.
34 +
Snow A, Tucker S, Dewey W:  The role of neurotransmitters in stress-induced antinociception (SIA) . Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1982;;16: 47-50.
Link to Article
35 +
White F, Appel T:  Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and lisuride: Differentiation of their neuropharmacological actions . Science 1982;;216:535-536.
Link to Article
36 +
Strahlendorf J, Goldstein F, Rossi G, et al:  Differential effects of LSD, serotonin and L-tryptophan on visually evoked responses . Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1982;;16:51-55.
Link to Article
37 +
White P, Way W, Trevor A: Ketamine:  Its pharmacology and therapeutic uses . Anesthesiology 1982;;56:119-131.
Link to Article
38 +
Osis K, Haraldsson E: At the Hour of Death . New York, Avon Books, 1977;.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

References

1 +
Greyson B, Stevenson I:  The phenomenology of near-death experiences . Am J Psychiatry 1980;;137:1193-1196.
2 +
Sabom M: Recollections of Death: A Medical Investigation . New York, Harper & Row Publishers Inc, 1982;.
3 +
Ring K: Life at Death: A Scientific Investigation of the Near Death Experience . New York, Quill, 1982;.
4 +
Morse M:  A near-death experience in a 7-year-old child . AJDC 1983;;137:959-961.
5 +
Noyes R:  Near death experiences: Their interpretation and significance , in Kastenbaum R (ed): Between Life and Death . New York, Springer Publishing Co Inc, 1979;, pp 73-88.
6 +
Heim A:  Notizen ueber den Tod durch Absturz . Jahrb Schweiz Alpenklub 1892;;27:327.
7 +
Comer NL, Madow L, Dixon JJ:  Observations of sensory deprivation in a life-threatening situation . Am J Psychiatry 1967;;124:164-169.
8 +
Stephens JH, Shaffer JW, Carpenter WT:  Reactive psychoses . J Nerv Ment Dis 1982;;170: 657-663.
Link to Article
9 +
Langness LL: Hysterical psychosis:  The cross-cultural evidence . Am J Psychiatry 1967;;124:143-152.
10 +
Ferguson SM, Rayport M, Gardner R, et al:  Similarities in mental content of psychotic states, spontaneous seizures, dreams, and responses to electrical brain stimulation in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy . Psychosom Med 1969;;31:479-498.
11 +
Lisansky J, Strassman RJ, Janowsky D, et al:  Drug-induced psychoses , in Tupin JP, Halbreich U, Pena JJ (eds): Transient Psychosis: Diagnosis, Management and Evaluation . New York, Brunner/Mazel Inc, 1984;, pp 80-111.
12 +
Talbott JA, Teague JW:  Marihuana psychosis . JAMA 1969;;210:299-302.
Link to Article
13 +
Hollister LE:  Drug-induced psychoses and schizophrenic reactions: A critical comparison . Ann NY Acad Sci 1962;;96:80-93.
Link to Article
14 +
Schnapper N:  The psychological implications of severe trauma: Emotional sequelae to unconsciousness . J Trauma 1975;;15:94-98.
Link to Article
15 +
Blacher RS:  The hidden psychosis of open-heart surgery: With a note on the sense of awe . JAMA 1972;;222:305-308.
Link to Article
16 +
Abram HS:  Adaptation to open-heart surgery: A psychiatric study of response to the threat of death . Am J Psychiatry 1965;;122: 659-668.
17 +
Bliss EL, Rumel WR, Branch CHH:  Psychiatric complications of mitral surgery . Arch Neurol 1955;;74:249-252.
Link to Article
18 +
Katz NM, Agle DP, DePalma RG, et al:  Delirium in surgical patients under intensive  care. Arch Surg 1972;;104:310-313.
Link to Article
19 +
Baxter S:  Psychological problems of intensive care . Br J Hosp Med 1974;;41:875-885.
20 +
Wooston JL:  Psychiatric aspects of a pediatric intensive care unit . Yale J Biol Med 1984;;57: 97-110.
21 +
Blacher RS:  Awareness during surgery . Anesthesiology 1984;;61:1-2.
22 +
Moody RA: Life After Death . New York, Bantam Books Inc, 1975;.
23 +
Egdell HG, Kolvin I:  Childhood hallucinations . J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1972;;13: 279-287.
Link to Article
24 +
Weiner MF:  Hallucinations in children . Arch Gen Psychiatry 1961;;5:544-553.
Link to Article
25 +
Butler RN:  The life review: An interpretation of reminiscence in the aged . Psychiatry 1963;;26:65-76.
26 +
Wallace AF:  Cultural determinants of response to hallucinatory experience . Arch Gen Psychiatry 1959;;1:74-85.
Link to Article
27 +
Gabbard GO, Twemlow SW: With the Eyes of the Mind: An Empirical Analysis of Out-of-Body States . New York, Praeger Publishers, 1984;, pp 154-166.
28 +
Meduna LT: Carbon Dioxide Therapy: A Neurophysiological Treatment of Nervous Disorders . Springfield, Ill, Charles C Thomas Publishers, 1950;, pp 17-36.
29 +
Grof S, Halifax J: The Human Encounter With Death . New York, EP Dutton, 1977;, pp 63-108.
30 +
Rogo DS:  Ketamine and the near-death experience . Anabiosis 1984;;1:87-96.
31 +
Wilson SL, Vaughan RW, Stephen CR:  Awareness, dreams and hallucinations associated with general anesthesia . Anesth Analg 1975;;5: 609-617.
32 +
Penfield W:  The role of the temporal cortex in certain psychical phenomena . J Ment Sci 1955;;101:451-465.
33 +
Penfield W, Rasmussen T: The Cerebral Cortex of Man: A Clinical Study of Localization of Function . New York, Macmillan Publishing Co Inc, 1950;, pp 157-181.
34 +
Snow A, Tucker S, Dewey W:  The role of neurotransmitters in stress-induced antinociception (SIA) . Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1982;;16: 47-50.
Link to Article
35 +
White F, Appel T:  Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and lisuride: Differentiation of their neuropharmacological actions . Science 1982;;216:535-536.
Link to Article
36 +
Strahlendorf J, Goldstein F, Rossi G, et al:  Differential effects of LSD, serotonin and L-tryptophan on visually evoked responses . Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1982;;16:51-55.
Link to Article
37 +
White P, Way W, Trevor A: Ketamine:  Its pharmacology and therapeutic uses . Anesthesiology 1982;;56:119-131.
Link to Article
38 +
Osis K, Haraldsson E: At the Hour of Death . New York, Avon Books, 1977;.

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