User blog comment:Suparockr/List of Plotholes throughout the series/@comment-166.82.245.89-20120719070005/@comment-6810992-20130228232250

The child is part of the indoctrination that Shepard is going through.

its the start of Shepard losing to the will of indoctrination. (as much as most of you dont want to admit it, its the only plausible story and ending to the game, nothing else makes sense, at all)

anyone else find it weird that he just so happens to see a kid outside his window, that same kid (on a military establishment) just so happens to be lost (in causal clothes - looks well out of place) in the middle of all the reapers attacking earth, and shepard just so happens to spot him, yet again waiting to get on a shuttle?

ok, some other interesting notes..

The boy is randomly running towards that building, which then gets destroyed by a reaper. don't worry, the kid miraculously survived. and is hiding inside an electrified vent? (note the electric warning). As soon as Anderson interupts their little chat, there is a significant reaper "noise / grunt", when shepard looks back the boy has disappeared. He also mentions nothing to anderson about an 8 year old boy, who is all alone stuck in a vent? whilst the human race is being destroyed. yeah dont worry about him shepard... oh wait, he doesnt exist, thats why!

Anderson doesn't see him, and shepard doesn't mention him... why? because its part of the indoctrination, if the one doing the indoctrination can weaken the will and strength of the person they are indoctrinating it makes it easier. (read the novels). this image, of the boy, the failure to save him, and watching him supposedly die. the bringing back of the boy in shepards dreams is all the part of weakening Shepard's state of mind.

another point...

the boy, is standing there with numerous reapers attacking, NO-ONE goes to help him, no one sees him, no one helps him on the shuttle, he just gets on fine... right ok. also... shepard spots him several hundred meters away, amongst all the collapsing buildings and firing? no he didnt... its part of what his mind is making him see.

that is the explanation of the the boy, and why he s there, and why Shepard dreams of him. normally he wouldnt give 2 s#its.

i also have a little theory that it is shepard as a boy... ;-) ill let you digest that chestnut.