Schizophrenia in Children

DSM-III-defined schizophrenia is rare in children, but because it can be severely disruptive to children's lives, continuing investigation of its clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and treatment are important. Recent studies of the offspring of schizophrenic parents suggests that Bender and Fish's ideas concerning the phenotypic manifestations of schizophrenia in young children may be correct. Few studies of treatment have been undertaken to date. Recent investigations of risk factors in the families of adult onset schizophrenics have suggested ways in which innovative treatment programs could be developed.