River Oak Center for Children:

What is Schizophrenia?

Contrary to the common misconception, schizophrenia does not mean "split or multiple
personality." And, although people with schizophrenia often are portrayed as violent on
television and in movies, that is seldom the case. Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling
and puzzling mental disorders. Many researchers now consider schizophrenia to be a group
of mental disorders rather than a single illness.

How is Schizophrenia developed?

Generally, schizophrenia begins in late adolescence or early adulthood. Research indicates a
genetic link to the development of schizophrenia. A child who has a parent with
schizophrenia, for example, has about a 10 percent chance of developing the illness,
compared with a one percent chance if neither parent has schizophrenia.

More information about Schizophrenia:

Symptoms:
Psychotic, or "positive," symptoms include delusions (bizarre thoughts that have no basis in
reality); hallucinations (hearing voices, seeing nonexistent things, and experiencing
sensations, such as burning, that have no source); and disordered thinking (apparent from a
person's fragmented, disconnected and sometimes nonsensical speech). Other "negative"
symptoms include social withdrawal, extreme apathy, diminished motivation, and blunted
emotional expression.

Formal Diagnosis:
Active systems of the illness (such as a psychotic episode) last for at least two weeks, with
other symptoms lasting six months.

Treatment:
People who have schizophrenia often require medication to control the most troubling
symptoms. Antipsychotic medications help bring biochemical imbalances closer to normal.

Recovery:
After these symptoms are controlled, psychotherapy and self-help groups can assist people
who have schizophrenia learn to develop social skills, cope with stress, identify early warning
signs for relapse, and prolong periods of remission.

How does River Oak help children and adolescents with schizophrenia?

Childhood schizophrenia is generally treated with medication management and cognitive
behavioral therapy that includes the family. Medication needs are determined by a psychiatric
medication assessment with a child psychiatrist. The psychiatrist works closely with parents
and caregivers in order to best support the family and child's needs and wishes regarding
medication.

Treatment includes parent coping, psycho-education for both the parent and child, behavioral
contracting, and skills training such as communication, problem solving, and relaxation.
Social skills and relationship skills can also be a part of treatment.

Self care is another topic for treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on
thinking and behavior. CBT helps children and adolescents with symptoms that do not go
away even when they take medication. The River Oak clinical team teaches children and
adolescents with schizophrenia how to test the reality of their thoughts and perceptions, how
to "not listen" to their voices, and how to manage their symptoms overall. CBT can help
reduce the severity of symptoms and reduce the risk or severity of another psychotic episode.

Important messages about children's and adolescents' mental health:

Mental health problems affect one in every five young people at any given time. "Serious
emotional disturbances" for children and adolescents refers to the above disorders when they
severely disrupt daily functioning in home, school, or community. Serious emotional
disturbances affect one in every ten young people at any given time.

For assistance/information call:

1-800-789-2647 National Mental Health Information Center
1-800-969-6642 (press 1) Mental Health America
1-800-273-8255 24 Hour Crisis Line (Mental Health America)
1-240-403-1901 National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
1-800-950-6264 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) www.nami.org