Affiliation:
1. Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania
Abstract
THE INCREASING USE of the diagnosis, "schizophrenic reaction," in the severe emotional disturbances of childhood is an evolutionary phenomenon. It is, in part, accounted for by the trend toward incidence of severe emotional disturbance in children at younger ages during the past 2 decades, which has eventuated in the current general problem of increasing severity in childhood mental health.
Prior to the 1940's there was little demand for mental hospital beds for children, while today most of the states are engaged in construction of facilities for children, with no end to the demand in sight.
Prior to the 1940's it was not believed that emotional disorders of early childhood could be severe enough to be identified as psychosis. In 1939, Kanner described a new syndrome of psychotic disturbance in childhood which he called "infantile autism." From this period on, a number of independent workers reported cases of similar nature.
Kanner saw in the behavior of these children a quality that had been considered by Bleuler to be typical of schizophrenic reactions, in his now classic treatise published in 1911. Autism referred to the withdrawal of the schizophrenic from the world of human relationships and values into a self-created world. Kanner described two modes of behavior as typical: 1) alienation from social relationship with persons and 2) preference for sameness in the environment. In addition he cited the fact that the children manifested confusion between self and other; the child might call himself "you," or "lie," and his mother or other caretaker "me."
Publisher
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Subject
Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
Cited by
1 articles.
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