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Childhood Schizophrenia

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Childhood schizophrenia is one of several types of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a chronic psychological disorder that affects a person’s psychosis. Childhood schizophrenia is similar to adult schizophrenia, but it occurs earlier in life and has a profound impact on the attitude, behavior, and life. The child with schizophrenia may experience strange thoughts, strange feelings, and abnormal behaviors. Childhood schizophrenia is rare and difficult to diagnose in early phases.
Childhood schizophrenia makes the child lose touch with reality (psychosis). When the child loses psychosis he or she may have one or all of the following signs and symptoms of schizophrenia: hallucinations, delusions, irrational behavior and thinking, and problems with daily tasks. The cause of schizophrenia is unknown. “Current research suggests a combination of brain changes, bio-chemical, genetic and environments factors may be involved” (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2004).
Childhood schizophrenia makes it difficult to diagnose, and treat. It further makes educational, emotional, and social needs, and development harder. Some factors that make children under age 17 vulnerable to the disease appears to be according to Mental Health America 2011, neurodevelopment damage resulting in delays in language and other functions prior to onset of psychotic symptoms. The schizophrenia psychosis in children develops gradually versus the psychotic break an adolescent or adult would experience.
Schizophrenia’s environmental factors that make the children population vulnerable to disease begins as early development in the womb. The main environmental factor is the stress during the pregnancy or later state of development. “High levels of stress are believed to trigger schizophrenia by increasing the body’s production of the hormone cortisol” (Help Guide, 2011).

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