Schizophrenia is one of the most severe mental illnesses that affects one to two percent of people worldwide. The disorder more commonly affects people between the ages of 16 and 25, though it is very rare schizophrenia can develop at a very young age. Even though the causes of schizophrenia are still unknown, perinatal viral infections, traumatic events and substance abuse can be some of the leading factors when diagnosing someone with the illness. Due to schizophrenia’s highly disruptive delusions and disorganized thought patterns, it affects the way the person perceives the world making it next to impossible to live a normal life.As there is no single cause of schizophrenia treatments mainly focus on eliminating the symptoms leading up to the disease, such as: antipsychotic medication and various psychological treatments. Given the complexity of schizophrenia there isn’t just one main cause, therefore the effects and treatments differ from patient to patient.
The causes of schizophrenia have been the subject of debate, with various factors as to what might cause the disease. Since there is no definitive answer as to what triggers schizophrenia there has been reason to believe that many different elements are known to lead to it.Viruses have been known to induce schizophrenia, “congenital infection is common and induces a widespread systematic reaction including destructive periventricular lesions and gliosis in the fetal brain”(Brixey). When an expecting mother catches a respiratory infection such as influenza for example, their child is “up to seven times more likely to [get] schizophrenia”(geelong advertiser). These viruses initiate a “mental switch” that permanently changes the fetus’ brain causing it to have a mental illness, such as schizophrenia, later on in life.If the fetus experiences certain events during the embryonic development it can have debilitating effects on its brain formation (Brixey).
These effects to the fetus have been known to lead to him/her developing schizophrenia later on in their childhood. According to Brixey, “infectious agents may induce schizophrenia by directly infecting the brain as in the case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, where a congenital infection directly attacks the brain. ” Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a form of brain damage leading to the rapid decrease of mental function, much like schizophrenia, which directly affects the mental function of the brain.Viral agents exposed during the time of birth cause serious mental illnesses because “when a virus attacks at a young age, the immature immune system is not able to form antibodies”(Brixey). Certain viral infections exposed to the fetus have been familiarly transmitted to other schizophrenics.
Although schizophrenia only affects one percent of the population, viral infections exposed during perinatal periods are a common factor when diagnosing a child with this mental illness. Not only do perinatal viruses cause schizophrenia but traumatic events also play a large role when diagnosing a child with this serious mental illness.It is common for children who experience any type of trauma at a young age to be diagnosed with schizophrenia later on in life or even still as a child. According to the University of Liverpool, “children who had experienced any type of trauma before the age of 16 were approximately three times more likely to become psychotic in adulthood compared to [others].
” Extreme traumatic incidents can greatly affect a child’s mind, which can cause them to become paranoid leading to the development of extreme psychosis. When a child experiences certain traumatic events, such as sexual abuse, it can lead to distinct types of schizophrenic episodes.Liverpool University conducted a study that looked at the relationship between “specific psychotic symptoms and the type of trauma experienced in childhood. ”(3) Their research showed that certain traumatic incidents led to different schizophrenic symptoms such as, “childhood sexual abuse, for example, was associated with hallucinations, whilst being brought up in a children’s home was associated with paranoia.
”(3). The university’s research showed a strong relationship between traumatic events that the child experienced to the development of schizophrenia.Childhood traumas are one of the main causes in the diagnosis of the extreme mental illness schizophrenia. Alongside traumatic childhood events, substance abuse can be a large contributor in the diagnosis of schizophrenia. The use of drugs at a young age can cause serious damage to the brain.
According to The Sunday Times, “drug[s] can cause permanent physical changes to the still-growing brain, which can lead to psychosis and schizophrenia…” Certain drugs such as amphetamines are said to be liable for the symptoms of schizophrenia.“Amphetamines [are known to] trigger the release of dopamine and excessive dopamine function is believed to be responsible for many symptoms of schizophrenia…”(4). The use of amphetamines greatly puts children at risk of acquiring schizophrenia. Not only does the abuse of amphetamines put children at risk of getting schizophrenia but the use of hallucinogens can trigger the mental illness as well. “Schizophrenia can sometimes be [caused] by heavy use of hallucinogenic or stimulant drugs,”(4) the abuse of these drugs can either stimulate symptoms of schizophrenia or cause the child to relapse.
Recent research shows that, “60% of people with schizophrenia were found to [have] use[d] substances. ”(4) There is a sufficient amount of evidence that drug abuse is a large contributor in the diagnosis of the mental illness schizophrenia. Since there isn’t one main cause of schizophrenia researchers find it hard to be able to treat the illness. Not only is it hard to treat, but there are also many different levels of extremity of the illness when it comes to each child.
Schizophrenia is a very complex mental illness that ranges in severity from each child.One category of schizophrenia is the paranoid subtype, which is one of the more common types of the mental illness. Michael Bengston stated that paranoid schizophrenia “is the presence of auditory hallucinations or prominent delusional thoughts about persecution or conspiracy. ” Children whom have the paranoid subtype can have a more functional life and are able to go to school and engage in relationships with people. Bengston is unsure as to why certain people with this subtype can live a more normal lifestyle whereas others cannot.
“The reasons are not entirely clear, but may partly reflect that people suffering from this subtype do not exhibit symptoms until later in life…” Children with paranoid schizophrenia may appear to have a fairly normal life with a successful management of their disorder. According to Bengston, a person diagnosed with paranoid subtype may not appear odd but that’s typically because the hallucinations and delusions they experience revolve around a certain idea that the child may obsess over.Although the child may not show sever symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia at first their condition can worsen over time causing them to “have more trouble than usual remembering recent events, speaking coherently or generally behaving in an organized, rational manner”(Bengston). While these traits are more present in different levels of schizophrenia they can still often be present at the paranoid subtype.
This level of schizophrenia is one of the more treatable cases compared to the many other subtypes.The second type of schizophrenia is the disorganized subtype, which as the name implies the thought process of the child becomes very disorganized. Children with this subtype, “have significant impairments in their ability to maintain the activities of daily life”(Bengston). Due to the child’s disorganized thought process it is hard for them to carry out a normal lifestyle. In some cases a child’s “ability to communicate effectively becomes impaired [and] at times, their speech can become virtually incomprehensible, due to disorganized thinking.
”The child’s “incomprehensible” speech is mainly caused by their inability to organize their thoughts making it nearly impossible for them to form comprehendible sentences. Bengston also stated that, “often, there is impairment in the emotional processes of the individual…these people may appear emotionally unstable, or their emotions may not seem appropriate to the context of the situation. ” The child’s inability to control their thoughts makes it hard for them to have control over their own emotions.Children with the disorganized subtype make it hard for them to carry out normal day-to-day activities such as getting dressed, taking a shower or brushing their teeth.
In many cases these motor skills can be significantly impaired and in some extreme cases completely lost. Lastly, is the catatonic subtype that involves the disturbances in movement. Children who experience this stage of schizophrenia have little to no control of the movement of their body. “Affected people may exhibit a dramatic reduction in activity, to the point that voluntary movement stops, as in catatonic stupor”(Bengston).With voluntary movement affected by this subtype it makes continuing a normal lifestyle next to impossible for the child. In some cases, the opposite can happen in a state known as “catatonic excitement,” where mobility can dramatically increase.
According to Bengston, “other disturbances of movement can be present with this subtype. Actions that appear relatively purposeless but are repetitively performed, also known as stereotypic behavior, may occur, often to the exclusion of involvement in any productive activity.”Involuntary repetitive motions are common with this subtype, causing the child to repeat certain movements several times. In other cases, “patients may exhibit an immobility or resistance to any attempt to change how they appear.
They may maintain a pose in which someone places them, sometimes for extended periods of time”(Bengston). This specific subtype perverts the child’s mobility causing them to involuntarily do certain movements. The catatonic subtype is one of the more extreme subtypes of schizophrenia causing the child to have little to no control of the movement of their body.Due to the many different subtypes of schizophrenia treating this mental illness is extremely difficult.
One type of treatment involves various psychological treatments. According to the University of Maryland, “psychological therapies can be helpful for many patients,” these therapies include “mental exercises and self observation. ” These therapies hope to strengthen the child’s ability for normal thinking. “More evidence is showing that improving patients’ ability to learn, remember and pay attention allows them to better cope with ongoing positive symptoms and lead independent lives”(6).
Through the practice of these therapies children are able to “critically analyze hallucinations and examine underlying beliefs in them”(6). Not only does cognitive-behavioral and psychosocial therapies help treat schizophrenia but also positive social interactions with others are extremely important in the treatment of the mental illness. These various psychological treatments are very beneficial in the treatment process of children with schizophrenia. Another type of treatment I antipsychotic drugs that help treat the different types of schizophrenia.Since schizophrenia varies from child to child many different medications are prescribed, such as Chlorpromazine, Fluphenazine, Haloperidol and Perphenazine(7). Medications such as these are the basis of treatment, “but because medications for schizophrenia can cause serious but rare side effects, people with schizophrenia may be reluctant to take them”(7).
Since certain medications can pose long term effects, including the development of a new disorder, other less risky medications are offered. These medications include: Abiilify, Clozaril, Zyprexa, Invega, Seroquel, Risperdal and Geodon(7).Since many children demonstrate numerous levels of schizophrenia they are prescribed multiple types of medication to help treat them. With the appropriate medications or psychological treatments, most children with schizophrenia can manage their condition. Schizophrenia is one of the most severe mental illnesses affecting about two percent of the worldwide population. Though it is uncommon children can develop this mental illness at a very young age if exposed to prenatal viruses.
Traumatic events that occurred during childhood can lead to certain types of schizophrenia such as hallucinations later on in life.Being a very complex mental illness, schizophrenia has many different subtypes such as: paranoia, disorganization and catatonic and each subtype having a different traumatic affect on the child’s brain. Since no cure has been discovered two different treatments are commonly practiced; psychological therapies and antipsychotic medications. With the help of these treatments many children are able to continue a more normal life. The affects of schizophrenia on a child’s brain are very serious and can often lead them to committing suicide.
Continuous research is being done to help find the cure to the horrible mental illness schizophrenia.
