Diagnosing And Managing Childhood Schizophrenia

Childhood Schizophrenia Or Something Else?

Look at the list of symptom categories typical to schizophrenia, and you are bound to ask yourself this question. Plenty of children have imaginary friends (yes, even scary ones), or dreams so vivid that they're still frightened by them the next day. Plenty of children role play or engage in fantasizing. (How would you know whether the child is really seeing what they say they are seeing, or whether they are just playing?) Plenty of children hold slightly irrational beliefs, too, by virtue of them being children who have not yet developed reasoning skills nor a solid sense of reality.

The negative symptoms of schizophrenia could easily be explained by bullying, depression, or any number of factors, while the cognitive symptoms are much more likely to attract a mindlessly applied ADHD label than to lead a pediatrician to wonder if the child has schizophrenia — a rare diagnosis, after all, particularly in that age group.

The road to a childhood schizophrenia diagnosis can be long, and perhaps frustrating, for that exact reason. Before the diagnosis can be made, other conditions, ranging from central nervous system tumors, to chromosomal disorders, to other mental health disorders and psychotic disorders in particular, all have to be ruled out before childhood-onset schizophrenia can be diagnosed.

Blood tests, electroencephalograms, and MRI scans may all be part of the diagnostic exploration process, yet ultimately, the the diagnosis will be made clinically after ruling out differential diagnosis and ascertaining that the child's symptoms match that of schizophrenia. If you are a parent who suspects that your child may be suffering from schizophrenia, or you at least know that something is wrong, however, the most important step you can take is to approach your pediatrician, family doctor, or a child psychiatrist with your concerns.

What Happens After A Child Is Diagnosed With Schizophrenia?

Antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol, olanzepine, and risperidon form the cornerstone of effective management of schizophrenia. Newer-class antipsychotics offer the benefit of fewer side effects as well as the potential to reduce  "negative" schizophrenia symptoms.

During acute episodes, the focus will be on controlling the psychotic symptoms a patient experiences. Hospitalization will almost certainly be part of the approach to treatment during this time.

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Since schizophrenia can be managed but not cured, however, individuals diagnosed with the condition will need to take medication for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, because childhood-onset schizophrenia is rare and the available body of research data based on studies conducted on adults, little is currently known about the exact effects of antipsychotic medications on schizophrenic children. Hence, a child's medication regime has to be monitored closely by their medical team, led by a pediatric psychiatrist.

Again, though too little is currently known about schizophrenia in children, there are indications that talk therapy for the child and their family is beneficial, along with therapy specifically focused on developing socials skills and functioning in the world with schizophrenia.

As research into schizophrenia continues and societal attitudes towards the disease shift, outcomes for children diagnosed with schizophrenia today are likely to be a whole lot better than they would have been a few generations ago. With the right support and medication, schizophrenia can be a chronic disease that requires constant monitoring, but which still enables the patient to live a full life.