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Signs & Symptoms of Schizophrenia in Children

Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic mental illness characterized by delusional thinking, bizarre feelings and unusual speech and behavior patterns. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), outward signs of schizophrenia in children can differ from those manifested by adults and can be difficult to recognize in their early stages.

  1. Hallucinations

    • According to "Signs of Schizophrenia in Children" by Paul Ballas, hallucinations are common in schizophrenic children. A schizophrenic child may hear voices or see things or people who aren't there.

    Confusion

    • A child with schizophrenia may exhibit confused thinking patterns. He may have difficulty discerning television shows, movies or his own dreams from reality.

    Fear

    • A schizophrenic child may develop extreme and bizarre fears. According to Mental Health America, your child may exhibit anxiety, become unusually clingy or believe that something is "out to get" her (paranoia).

    Lack of Emotion

    • According to Ballas, children with schizophrenia tend to have a "flattened affect." That is, the schizophrenic child may display little or no emotional response or facial expression.

    Isolation

    • Children who are schizophrenic may begin to withdraw from family and friends. According to the AACAP, your child may grow progressively more bashful, lose friendships and appear to live in his own world.

    Disordered Thoughts

    • The schizophrenic child commonly displays signs of a thought disorder. If your child suffers from disordered thinking, she will typically exhibit speech structure and content that is disorganized and incomprehensible to others.

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