Book Review: New Children and Near-Experiences by P. M. H. Atwater, L.H.D.

In New Children and Near-Death Experiences, P.M.H. Atwater, L.H.D., shares the findings of her remarkable study of 277 individuals who experienced near-death states as children. Some were interviewed while still young; others had grown into teens or adults. Atwater's work reveals how profoundly the near-death experience can reshape a child's life,-- awakening spiritual insight, emotional maturity and a lasting sense of mission, leaving them forever changed.

A recurring and deeply moving theme in the accounts is how children in the near-death state often perceive prayers being sent to them. Many described prayers arriving as visible beams of light or waves of energy that brought a "splash' of love, or an incredible sense of warmth and comfort. Encounters with heavenly beings, life reviews emphasizing acts of kindness and overwhelming experiences of unconditional love were common threads. These experiences left some children with a sense of purpose that endured into adulthood. Others were so comforted by the feelings of love from the other side that they wanted to return. This happened most often when the child was from an abusive and/or unloving family.

As Atwater documents, many of these children often feel as though they are adults trapped in a child's body, wise beyond their years but isolated in a world that does not easily recognize their depth. Many are drawn to careers that help heal or uplift humanity, living out the compassion they glimpsed on the other side. Spiritually, they tend to become deeply attuned and intuitive , embracing a personal connection to the divine while frequently rejecting traditional religious structures that feel too limiting for their expanded awareness.

New Children and Near-Death Experiences is a powerful and compassionate exploration of the hidden dimensions of childhood NDEs. Atwater not only brings scientific rigor to a sensitive subject but offers hope that these experiences signal an evolving human consciousness. Her book is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of spirituality and the human spirit as well as those who have or may have had a NDE and seek to understand themselves or their children. It speaks to anyone who wonders why they--or their children--feel different, wiser, or more deeply connected to a reality beyond this world.