The 7-Year-Old Schizophrenic
PAGE 2
Michael and Susan say they knew something was different about their baby girl from the day Jani was born. They sensed Jani was smarter than most children, but they couldn't explain her bizarre sleeping habits. "Most newborns sleep at least 16 hours a day, but Jani only slept 20 minutes at a time," Michael says. "And no more than four hours in a day."
Now, when Jani's parents look back at home videos, Michael says they notice signs that something darker was going on inside their daughter's mind, even when she was a toddler.
Watch Michael and Susan discuss the early signs.
As Jani got older, she required constant stimulation, and at times, she stared off in the distance at things that weren't really there. Michael says Jani also wanted people to call her names like Blue-Eyed Tree Frog and Jani Firefly, which he chalked up to a remarkable imagination.
Then, when Jani was 2 years old, her imaginary friends began showing up. "While lots of kids have make-believe friends, Jani's became constant companions," Michael says. "It was when her hallucinations turned violent that we knew that something was terribly wrong."
Now, when Jani's parents look back at home videos, Michael says they notice signs that something darker was going on inside their daughter's mind, even when she was a toddler.
Watch Michael and Susan discuss the early signs.
As Jani got older, she required constant stimulation, and at times, she stared off in the distance at things that weren't really there. Michael says Jani also wanted people to call her names like Blue-Eyed Tree Frog and Jani Firefly, which he chalked up to a remarkable imagination.
Then, when Jani was 2 years old, her imaginary friends began showing up. "While lots of kids have make-believe friends, Jani's became constant companions," Michael says. "It was when her hallucinations turned violent that we knew that something was terribly wrong."
NEXT STORY
