Here's another fascinating case from my archives.
I wanted to share the story of my son David, who was born in February of 2000.I was sitting on the couch watching David play when he was around three years old. He suddenly stopped playing and walked over to me and said, "Mom did you know that I was a fireman?" I said, "No. I did not know that." He continued, " I was a firefighter and I died in a fire and it was very hot and I could not breathe." I asked him again and he repeated what he had said, word for word.
Later that week he came into the living room and showed me what he had done: He had taken apart his Buzz Light Year space ship cover, which was clear plastic, and placed it inside his plastic firefighter's hat as a face shield. After that he would not wear his fireman's hat unless he was also holding the face shield. I finally taped it inside the helmet so he could play and use both of his hands, rather than always holding the shield with one of his hands.
I began to see how some of David's other behaviors might relate to his dying in a fire. He never liked hot food, or even slightly warm foods; he would simply not put them in his mouth. Now, at the age of six, he is getting better about foods that are slightly warm. He has also always been very careful about bath water and anything that could be hot to the touch.
I was fortunate enough to have my son tell me early on about his past life and how he died. I felt that I could understood his behaviors better. Because of that, I never forced him to eat hot food and have been very careful about the bath water.
He does not seem to remember any more about his life as a fireman. But I still keep his fireman's hat with the shield on it. I am sending you a photo of David with his fireman's hat and shield. I think the expression on his face says it all.
