Abstract
Child schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects brain structures, emotional and cognitive functions. The disorder is characterized by psychotic symptoms: disorder of thinking, inadequate emotional reactions, disorganized behavior, deterioration of social functioning and loss of will. Schizophrenia in children is one of the most common mental illnesses affecting up to 1% of all children. For a long time, the term "child schizophrenia" was used to refer to various disorders that had similarities with each other. Children were referred to schizophrenics if they had borderline symptoms. Child schizophrenia develops gradually; sudden onset it is not common. Schizophrenic child requires help from multidisciplinary team members including child and adolescent psychiatrist and all possible levels of psychotherapy and psychological interventions. This article discusses classification, clinical presentation, all possible treatment and rehabilitation of children with schizophrenia.
Highlights
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at the beginning of the XXI century, there were more than 21 million schizophrenia patients in the world, or about 1% of the world's population [1], [2]
In 1980, childhood schizophrenia was first included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 3rd Edition (DSM-III) classification as a diagnostic category with similar schizophrenia in the adult diagnostic criteria [4]
In International Classification of Diseases: 10th Edition (ICD-10), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-V) classification systems, childhood schizophrenia is not distinguished as a separate diagnostic category, and it is suggested that adult diagnostic criteria be used to diagnose schizophrenia manifesting in childhood [5], [6], [7], [8]
Summary
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at the beginning of the XXI century, there were more than 21 million schizophrenia patients in the world, or about 1% of the world's population [1], [2]. The prevalence of schizophrenia in children under years varies from 0.1 to 1% in European countries, and increases to 4% in adolescents aged years and older. In 2018, according to official statistics of the Ministry of Health of Zambia, the incidence of schizophrenia, schizoaffective and delusional disorders manifested in children under 14 years was 0.8 and the prevalence was 2.8 per 100 thousand children. In 1980, childhood schizophrenia was first included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 3rd Edition (DSM-III) classification as a diagnostic category with similar schizophrenia in the adult diagnostic criteria [4]. In the 1970s and 1980s, the practice of advanced diagnosis of schizophrenia took place in European countries (Ukraine, Poland and Germany), and specific forms of childhood disorder were described. In International Classification of Diseases: 10th Edition (ICD-10), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-V) classification systems, childhood schizophrenia is not distinguished as a separate diagnostic category, and it is suggested that adult diagnostic criteria be used to diagnose schizophrenia manifesting in childhood [5], [6], [7], [8]
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