CHILDHOOD SCHIZOPHRENIA

Childhood Schizophrenia

Literature Review

Child schizophrenia, like other psychopathologies has many documented, and several uncertain causes. Some scientists have evidence that pregnant mothers have experienced an immune reaction that present dangers to the unborn child. Schizophrenia is a disorder where the body=s immune system attacks itself. Schizophrenia is not present at birth but develops during the adolescence period or young adulthood. ASchizophrenia is a biological brain disease affecting thinking, perception, mood, and behaviour. Its exact cause is unknown but overwhelming evidence points to faulty chemistry or structural abnormalities in the brain. In some cases schizophrenia is generic. Schizophrenia strikes one in 100 people at some point in his/her lifetime.@ (Compiled by Ontario Friends of Schizophrenia, Oct 94).

Schizophrenia worsens and becomes better in cycles, also known as relapses and remission. People who are suffering from schizophrenia look relatively normal. Schizophrenics suffer from such symptoms as: delusions, hallucinations, and thought disorders. Delusions are false beliefs that aren=t based on reality. Schizophrenics may believe that someone is following them, or planning to harm them. Schizophrenics believe that others can hear their thoughts , also known as Abroadcasting@ and even change them. A...hear their thoughts, insert thoughts into their minds, or control their feelings, actions or impulses. Patients might think they are Jesus, Napoleon, or Franklin D. Roosevelt.@ (American Psychiatric Association Annual >90 page 1)

Pregnant women who experience an immune reaction that presents danger to their unborn children, this reaction raises sharply the rates of schizophrenia in the unborn child. Severe malnutrition in the early months of the fetal development may contribute to schizophrenia. It is also known that schizophrenia runs in families. AThe probablitilty of developing schizophrenia as the off spring of one parent with the disease is approximately 13%. The probability of developing schizophrenia as the off spring of both parents with the disease is approximately 35%.@ (Pamphlet by: American Psychiatric Association Annual >90 page 7)

Hallucinations another symptom which schizophrenic patients suffer from. Hallucinations may be seen or heard. The most common hallucination are those heard by the schizophrenic. The schizophrenic may hear voices that tell them what to do, these voices may warn them of danger, tell them how to feel, or describe one=s actions.

Schizophrenics thought process is very Aloose@. Their thought s may shift rapidly from one unrelated topic to the next. They may make up their own words or use sounds or grunts to substitute words. These symptoms do not mean that people with schizophrenia are out of touch with the world completely, they know that roads are used for driving cars, and that people eat meals three a day.

Schizophrenia affect both men and women equally. Along with delusions, hallucinations, and thought disorders, they also suffer from paranoia, high anxiety , low stress tolerance, low motivation, lack of energy and the inability to feel pleasure. This makes work, leisure, relationships and even everyday tasks difficult, sometimes impossible. These are concerns not only for the people diagnosed with this psychopathology but for their friends and ...