It is not advisable to encourage the practice of mediumnity in childhood and youth. This is because their organism is not yet fully developed; their organs, especially the nervous system, are still in the maturing stage. In addition to this, the child-adolescent may not possess the discernment necessary to avoid the influence of mocking or misguided spirits. 

While discussing in The Mediums' Book the “inconveniences and dangers of mediumnity”, Kardec asks the spirit who was assisting him on that occasion: 

Is there any disadvantage in developing mediumship in children?

"The spirit says categorically: Certainly it is, and I maintain that it is dangerous, because those weak and delicate organisations would suffer from that fact great disturbances, and the respective imaginations excessive excitement. Prudent parents should keep them from such ideas, or not speak to them on the subject except from the point of view of the moral consequences".

Further on, the Codifier insists: Meanwhile, there are creatures who are natural mediums, whether of physical effects, of writing, or of clairvoyance. 

Does that present the same drawback? 

"No, (replies the spirit). If, in a child, the faculty manifests itself spontaneously, it is because it is in its nature, and its organic constitution lends itself to it. But the same is not true when it is provoked or over-excited. For all that has been said, there are two aspects that stand out concerning mediumnity in children, considered from the point of view of the Spiritist Doctrine: the inconvenience of stimulating the exercise of mediumnity in the infantile stage, and the spontaneous manifestation of this faculty in small children".

1. Inconvenience of stimulating the exercise of mediumship in children

The exercise of mediumship requires of the adult, discipline, attunement to the prepared spirits, constant meditation and serious and continued study. 

How can a child be required to exercise it properly? 

Educating mediumnity means placing oneself in magnetic, mental and moral dependence on spirits of the most varied evolutionary levels. The child is inexperienced and has a fragile organism, and is therefore necessarily exposed to the effects of the approach of an obsessive entity.

With reference to this subject Kardec says the following: 

"The practice of Spiritism (...) requires a great deal of tact in order to disable the plots of deceitful spirits. If they deceive educated men, it is clear that they will also deceive children and youth, who are more likely to fall victims to them. It is well known, moreover, that recollection is a condition without which one cannot deal with serious spirits. Evocations made frivolously and for amusement are a real profanation, and give easy access to mocking or mischievous spirits. Now, as we cannot expect from a child the seriousness necessary for such an act, it is to be feared that he will make a plaything of his mediumnity if he remains under his own responsibility.."

2. Spontaneous mediumnity in childhood and youth

If, on the contrary, mediumnity in the child or adolescent is spontaneous, it is clear that it is in his nature and that his organic constitution lends itself to it. This being so, what is natural is all the more reason to be treated naturally, as we can deduce from the following words addressed to Kardec by the Superior Spirit: 

‘’Observe that the child who has visions is generally not impressed by them because they seem so natural to him, does not pay much attention to them, and almost always forgets them. Later on, he remembers this fact and explains it easily if he knows about Spiritism. It is true that as he grows up, the child or adolescent gradually detaches himself from the influence of the spiritual world, begins to take a more effective interest in what happens on the physical plane, and, as a consequence, mediumistic manifestations may diminish and then reappear, especially in adolescence, if he has a greater commitment to mediumnity".

2.1 Childhood, youth and the Protective Spirits

In the preface to the prayer to the Guardian Angels and Protecting Spirits, Chapter XXVIII: Spiritist Prayers, of The Gospel According to Spiritism, Kardec says the following: 

"We are all united to us from birth by a good Spirit who has taken us under his protection. He carries out with us the mission of a father towards his child: that of leading us along the path of good and progress through the trials of life (...) In this way, the child is protected by the beneficent and controlling influence of the protecting spirits, receives from them intuitions that guide him and, as a rule, warnings and messages for the relatives that they transmit through clairvoyance, intuition or other faculties.

When the child is guarded, controlled, by his protective Spirit or Guardian Angel, as most people understand it, and assisted by other spiritual friends who love him - there is no need to fear; it is for the family, in the first place, to demonstrate serenity, confidence in the higher designs, and thus facilitate the beneficent intervention of these entities".

2.2 Childhood, youth and mediumistic problems

In the meantime, it is well to bear in mind that, in many cases, even though spontaneous, the mediumistic faculty is still painful and a cause for concern in childhood and youth. In various epochs of humanity and in the four corners of the world, we know of families tormented by the presence of spirits who manifest themselves to their children in the most varied forms, through various types of mediumship and with the most diverse aims and intentions. The subject is extremely delicate if we take into account the difficulty in discovering what is happening with the child-adolescent. This hinders the search for a happy solution to the problem, especially if the family has no knowledge of the Spiritist Doctrine.

2.3. Appeals for the protection of children with mediumship

We wish to emphasise the call for prudence on the part of mothers, fathers or guardians to keep their children away from these ideas, and not to speak on the subject except from the point of view of moral consequences. To this wise advice, which contains an excellent means of protection - whether or not there are signs of mediumnity - we can add others, also valuable, which the family cannot do without: praying in favour of the spirits who try to approach them; passes given by responsible persons; attendance at the classes of Spiritist Education for Children and Young People, so that little by little they can assimilate doctrinal notions compatible with their age. It is also important for the balance of the family and the children to pray together at home, with the aim of gathering the family around the evangelical teachings in the light of Spiritism and with the assistance of Spiritual Benefactors. 

If, repeating Ecclesiastes, everything has its appointed time, and there is a time for every purpose under heaven; if fruits need to be seasoned to be harvested and savoured, so also the parents on earth, following the dictates of nature itself, must wait for the opportune time for the children to exercise mediumship and fulfil the sacred duties assumed in the spirit world before they reincarnate.

In summary, we conclude that Spiritist Doctrine recommends the following principles:

1. Si no existe una facultad mediúmnica ostensible y evidente, no se debe estimular a los niños y a los jóvenes al desarrollo de su mediumnidad. Es recomendable, siempre que su nivel cognitivo lo permita, orientarlos  respecto al peligro de «jugar» con el mundo espiritual en pasatiempos como la ouija por ejemplo, que pueden representar puertas abiertas a la obsesión. Los llamados amigos imaginarios no siempre son fruto de una facultad mediúmnica, pero pueden serlo.
2. If children and young people see spirits and if this faculty manifests itself in a harmonious way, through imaginary friends, visions of relatives or sympathetic spirits, or even through the transmission of messages from their protecting spirit, the subject should be treated as a matter of course. Without over-stimulating them about their visions or what they hear, it is recognised that spiritual beings exist in a natural way.
3. In the event that the mediumistic faculty presents itself in a way that produces disharmony in their lives, causing night terrors for example, or when they hear voices saying ugly things to them in an unfriendly way, measures should be taken so that they can live their mediumnity in the most peaceful way possible as their incarnational programmes allow. Without ruling out the medical and psychiatric help that can be given to families, the Spiritist Centre will recommend this to the family: 

• Pray to your Spirit Guides to intercede for your children's obsessors, asking for spiritual help so that they may find peace and forgive any wrongs that have been done to them;
• Bringing children and young people to the Spiritist Education classes at the centre, where they will receive guidance within the principles of the doctrine at their cognitive level in an enjoyable way;
• Take them to the Spiritist Centre to receive spiritual passes, which will help them to harmonise their spiritual bodies;
• To keep the Gospel in the home and to maintain a climate of prayer, recollection and love at home, so that good spirits can be attracted to the family life, which will protect the home and help possible obsessors.