Although many cases of schizophrenia develop during a patient's teen and/or early adult years, children as young as 5 years old can also develop schizophrenia. However, schizophrenia is uncommon in children under 12, affecting about three in every 1,000 kids in this age range.

Childhood Schizophrenia Symptoms

While the above list of symptoms primarily characterizes schizophrenia in adults, this psychiatric condition causes different symptoms in children. Some of the schizophrenia symptoms that are unique to children include:

• delays in the ability to learn language
• easily distracted
• extreme moodiness
• high anxiety levels
• impaired motor skills
• nearly constant fear
• socialization problems, such as problems maintaining friendships
• symptoms of pervasive developmental disorder (i.e., frequent rocking back and forth, arm flapping, etc.)
• uneven motor development (i.e., odd crawling behavior).

Another unique facet of childhood schizophrenia is the fact that these symptoms tend to develop and intensify over many years, as opposed to schizophrenia in adults, which is marked by a dramatic, easily identifiable onset of symptoms.

Schizophrenia Definition

As one of the most complicated of all psychiatric disorders, schizophrenia is a mental illness marked by any combination of the following symptoms:

• a distortion of reality
• delusions (incorrect perceptions and beliefs about reality)
• dramatic personality and mood changes
• general confusion
• hallucinations (perceiving visions and sounds without the presence of a physical stimulus)
• paranoia
• withdrawal.

For a person to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, these symptoms must persist for at least six months. While researchers are still investigating the exact causes of schizophrenia, most experts agree that schizophrenia arises out of some combination of genetic and environmental causes.

Diagnosing Childhood Schizophrenia

Regardless of age, schizophrenia is a hard condition to diagnose due to its wide range of symptoms. However, this psychiatric condition is even more elusive in children: While children may have a hard time describing their feelings and fears, adults may disregard symptoms of schizophrenia in children, thinking of them as common childhood behavior.

If you start to notice any of the above symptoms in your child, take him to a therapist or psychiatrist who specializes in schizophrenia for an immediate and thorough evaluation. Specialists diagnose schizophrenia by evaluating whether a child exhibits the DSM-IV diagnosis criteria, as set forth by the American Psychiatry Associated (APA). These criteria include:

• Absence of drug abuse and sleep disorders
• Absence of other mental disorders
• Presence of developmental disabilities, such as autism and pervasive developmental disorder
• Socialization problems (e.g., difficulty making and keeping friendships)
• Typical symptoms, such as delusions and paranoia. At least two of the typical symptoms of schizophrenia must persist for at least six months for a diagnosis.

Children who fall into each of these categories are diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Treating Schizophrenia in Children

Treatment for schizophrenia in children varies depending on the type and severity of the schizophrenia. In most cases, however, treatment revolves around:

• antipsychotic medication: Psychiatrists prescribe medications such as clozapine and risperidone.
• therapy: Either individual or family therapy will be recommended, depending on your child's specific case.

Early treatment is key to helping a child with schizophrenia learn how to live a healthy, productive life.

Resources

Hubrin Human Brain Infomatics (n.d.). Diagnosis criteria for schizophrenia. Retrieved October 12, 2007 from the Hubrin Web site: http://www.hubin.org/publicfamilyinfo/diagnosis/diagnosis_criteria_en.html.

Mental Health America (n.d.). Children's Mental Health Statistics. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from the MHA Web site: http://www1.nmha.org/children/prevent/stats.cfm.

Mental Health America (March 12, 2007). Schizophrenia in Children. Retrieved October 11, 2007 from the MHA Web site: http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm?objectid=C7DF980C-1372-4D20-C8BA1DC89DBEAD32.