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IF YOUR child regularly talks to someone you cannot see, plays with them and drops their name into conversation, don’t worry, it’s not an early sign of a personality disorder. It’s something to be encouraged, according to researchers in the UK and US. Children who have imaginary friends appear to develop faster both psychologically and linguistically.

An imaginary friend can take many forms. They can be a dog, a child, an adult or a fantastical creature. Alternatively, a child might endow a physical object such as a stuffed toy with a personality, or the child herself might take on a…

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