Schizophrenia in children - Research Paper Example

As the definition indicates, the major symptoms of this disorder include visual and auditory hallucinations, abnormal behavior, and strange feelings and they adversely affect the child’s ability to function normally and to maintain interpersonal relationships. To illustrate, a child who has developed schizophrenia may become shy and reticent and try to live in a world of his/her own. Nearly 50% of children with schizophrenia show severe neuropsychiatric symptoms. Although this mental disorder has no definite cause, it is often correlated to risk factors like family history.

Some recent studies claim that brain changes and biochemical and environmental factors may contribute to the development of schizophrenia. Generally physical, laboratory and psychological examinations are conducted to diagnose schizophrenia in children. . Prevention of childhood schizophrenia is less possible because many of the early signs of this disorder are very similar to the signs of other disorders. Treatments As discussed already, pediatric schizophrenia is a chronic condition and it needs lifelong treatment even though symptoms may be subsided during some periods of treatment.

The treatment for childhood schizophrenia is generally led by a psychiatrist specialist. Since this disorder can affect many areas of the victim’s life, other professionals such as pediatrician, psychotherapist, family members, psychiatric nurse, and social workers are also included in the treatment team. Medications and psychotherapy are mainly employed to treat childhood schizophrenia (Loth & Pataki, 2012). Antipsychotic medications play a central role in treating this disorder although they have not been specifically approved for treating schizophrenia in children.

Second generation antipsychotics or atypical antipsychotics are initially used to treat pediatric schizophrenia because they have fewer side effects. As Kuehn (2009) notes, Risperidone and Aripiprazole are the only two second generation antipsychotics that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat this mental disorder in children. Similarly, first generation antipsychotics or conventional antipsychotics are also used to control schizophrenia in children and they are equally as effective as atypical antipsychotics.

However, conventional antipsychotics have more severe neurological side effects. In addition, psychotherapy treatments such as individual therapy and family therapy are employed to manage childhood