Adolescent schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a devastating chronic disorder that typically presents in early adult life and impacts on a broad swathe of social and psychological functioning. It is not surprising that psychiatrists have tended to be circumspect about making this ominous diagnosis in children and adolescents. Genuine concerns about the validity of applying ‘adult’ psychotic diagnoses in this young age group, together with the lack of diagnosis-specific interventions, have suggested a cautious approach to diagnosis. Furthermore, the relative rarity of schizophrenia in this age group has meant that most psychiatrists have relatively little experience with ‘atypical’ early presentation of the disorder.