Causes and treatments of schizophrenia in children

There are many causes of schizophrenia in children. I don’t know how much you know about it. I know there are genetic and psychological factors, but how much do you know? I will introduce them in detail below. It is not good for children to have this condition, so how can we treat it? Let’s take a look at the symptoms and treatments of schizophrenia in children!

1. Causes

1. Genetic factors

The incidence of a genetic history of mental illness in the family of children with this disease is relatively high (16% to 64%).

2. Organic factors

It is common for children with this disease to have a history of perinatal damage. Delayed maturation of the nervous system, soft signs in neurological examinations, and electroencephalogram abnormalities are also common. In recent years, studies have found that the latency period of the P300 evoked potential in children with schizophrenia is significantly shortened and the amplitude is reduced; results of head CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other studies suggest that damage to the frontal lobe, basal ganglia, and temporal lobe are closely related to schizophrenia.

3. Psychosocial factors

It is common for children to develop schizophrenia due to severe mental trauma, such as parental divorce, death of relatives, failure to continue education and other life events. Psychosocial factors also have an important impact on the continuation of the disease and prognosis.

4. Personality traits before illness

Children with this disease are mostly introverted before the onset of the disease. On the basis of their abnormal or unhealthy personality, they are affected by environmental factors, which increases the risk of developing the disease.

5. Biochemical factors

It is generally believed that this disease is related to excessive activity of the central dopaminergic system and insufficient noradrenergic function. Some studies have found that children with this disease have increased plasma dopamine β-hydroxylase and inhibited choleretic system.

II. Treatment

1. Principles of drug treatment

It is advisable to start with a small dose, gradually increase to the therapeutic dose with satisfactory efficacy, continue for about one month, and then gradually reduce to a maintenance dose (equivalent to 1/4 to 1/3 of the therapeutic dose). Treatment is usually maintained for more than half a year.

2. Commonly used oral antipsychotics

Chlorpromazine, perphenazine, sulpiride, clozapine, thioridazine, haloperidol, risperidone, triclothiazide (Fukangsu), pimozide, etc. have an effective rate of 50% to 60%.

3. Long-acting preparations

It can effectively maintain the therapeutic effect of patients in the chronic stage.

4. Side effects of drug treatment

Extrapyramidal reactions are the most common side effects, which may manifest as pseudo-Parkinsonian reactions, akathisia, oculomotor crisis, swallowing or speech difficulties, etc. They can be treated with oral administration of Antan or intramuscular injection of scopolamine hydrobromide. Liver damage, granulocytopenia, orthostatic hypotension, drowsiness, constipation, lactation, pigmentation, amenorrhea or sexual dysfunction may also occur.

How much do you know about the symptoms and treatments of schizophrenia in children? We must find the cause of the disease so that we can prescribe the right medicine. This is what we need to know most. At this time, children need our care and concern. So the editor will introduce it here. I also hope that your children will recover their health soon!