Pediatric Schizophrenia

Abstract

Pediatric Schizophrenia can have its onset before 18 years. It can be during childhood (<13 years) or adolescence (13-18 years).1 It has also been defined as Early Onset Schizophrenia (EOS- <18 years) or Very Early Onset Schizophrenia (VEOS- <13 years).2 One study suggests an onset cut-off at age 14.7 years below which schizophrenia has significantly more positive symptoms and poorer psychosocial functioning as compared to schizophrenia with better outcomes above the cut-off.3 It is agreed that onset of schizophrenia before age 12 is very rare.4 Reliable population-based incidence figures for EOS are still lacking, while males predominate in clinical samples of EOS.