Childhood onset schizophrenia

Childhood schizophrenia
Synonym	Childhood type schizophrenia; schizophrenia, childhood type; childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS); very early-onset schizophrenia (VEOS); schizophrenic syndrome of childhood
Self-portrait of a person with schizophrenia, representing that individual's perception of the distorted experience of reality in the disorder.
Specialty	Child psychiatry (EU), Child and adolescent psychiatry (USA)
Symptoms	Hallucinations, delusions, disorganized behavior or catatonia, negative symptoms (i.e., avolition or reduced affect display)
Usual onset	Before the age of 13 years
Types	Episodic-progredient/shiftlike childhood schizophrenia (malignant, paranoid and slow-progressive sub-types), continuous childhood schizophrenia, recurrent childhood schizophrenia (the rarest form – 5 % of all cases)
Similar conditions	Major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder with psychotic or catatonic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder, autism spectrum disorder or communication disorders, other mental disorders associated with a psychotic episode
Medication	Antipsychotics
Frequency	⅕ of all forms of psychosis of the schizophrenia spectrum; 1.66:1000 among children (0–14 years)
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Childhood schizophrenia (also known as childhood-onset schizophrenia, and very early-onset schizophrenia) is a schizophrenia spectrum disorder that is characterized by hallucinations, disorganized speech, delusions, catatonic behavior and "negative symptoms", such as inappropriate or blunted affect and avolition with onset before 13 years of age. Schizophrenic autism may be presented. The term "childhood-onset schizophrenia" and "very early-onset schizophrenia" are used to identify patients in whom the disorder manifests before the age of 13.

The disorder presents symptoms such as auditory and visual hallucinations, strange thoughts or feelings, and abnormal behavior, profoundly impacting the child's ability to function and sustain normal interpersonal relationships. Delusions are often not systematized and vague. Among the actual psychotic symptoms seen in childhood schizophrenia auditory hallucinations are the most common. They are often presented in relatively simple form of akoasms (auditory hallucinations, such as noise, shots, knocks, etc.). Many of these children also have symptoms of irritability, searching for imaginary objects, or low performance. It typically presents after the age of seven. About 50% of young children diagnosed with schizophrenia experience severe neuropsychiatric symptoms. Studies have demonstrated that diagnostic criteria are similar to those of adult schizophrenia. Diagnosis is based on behavior observed by caretakers and, in some cases depending on age, self reports. Less than 5% of people with schizophrenia see their first symptoms before age 18.

Schizophrenia has no definite cause; however, certain risk factors such as family history seem to correlate. There is no known cure, but childhood schizophrenia is controllable with the help of behavioral therapies and medications.

"Early onset schizophrenia" (EOS) is not childhood schizophrenia, because this term is used to identify adolescence patients who develop first episode of psychosis before the age of 18. Childhood schizophrenia manifests before the age of 13, so it's correct names are "childhood-onset schizophrenia" (COS) and "very early-onset schizophrenia" (VEOS).

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