How to recognize schizophrenia in young children

Every young mother is worried about the health of her child during pregnancy. A bunch of experiences and instructions from doctors make you think about many risks. Despite the fact that childhood schizophrenia is quite rare, nevertheless, it is in childhood that it has the most dangerous forms. How to recognize it and what you should pay close attention to, we will consider below.

Symptoms of childhood schizophrenia

Childhood schizophrenia is most dangerous because it is extremely difficult to recognize in a small child. It can manifest itself for a long time only in disturbing symptoms and indicate only any age-related features. Therefore, in order to be fully armed, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the main symptoms of this disease. You should pay attention to whether any new visible signs appear in the behavior of the child, such as:

  • Changes and sudden changes in emotional mood. You may notice increased aggressiveness or psychomotor overexcitation. 
  • Restless behavior and excessive emotionality, which can subsequently provoke fights and manifest itself in cruelty towards animals and people.
  • Recognition by the child of any inaudible voices and images. You may notice that the baby sees any objects or talks to invisible creatures.
  • Constant tantrums, rolling on the floor and protest cries that interfere with normal daily activities. You may find it difficult to wash your baby, dress him, or get him to eat.

How to recognize schizophrenia in young children

It should be borne in mind that the symptoms of schizophrenia include not only new manifestations in the child’s behavior, but also a decrease in any of the usual characteristic features of his behavior:

  • If you notice that the child has abruptly stopped communicating, withdrawn into himself and avoids any communication with peers and even parents. A decrease in the need for communication may indicate a violation of communication.
  • Unjustified lethargy, apathy and complete indifference to everything that happens around. In addition, excessive tearfulness and unreasonable irritability may appear. Due to the suppression of the central nervous system, concentration and brain activity will suffer.

All the research that has been done to date indicates that the only cause of schizophrenia in humans is purely genetics. Only with a tendency to this disease is there a risk of this disease. 

How to recognize schizophrenia in young children

What is the danger of childhood schizophrenia

A particular danger lies in the fact that this disease may be invisible and not manifested in the behavior of relatives. Family members may be so-called carriers of the gene. Typically, the period of progression of schizophrenia occurs during adolescence. We draw your special attention to the fact that only a qualified specialist and long-term observations can confirm the presence of this disease in a child. Do not self-diagnose and even more so self-medicate.

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