how are children affected by schizophrenia?

Hello Linda,

I hope that mothers and fathers living with children who have SZ will chime in and answewr your question.  I can only response with some suggestions based on my theory and not direct experience.

One of the biggest ways SZ might affect children is that they have not developed fully-formed personalities and experiences in the world, so that the illness has always been a part of them and they have never known a life without illness.

An article in the New York Times talked about this in reference to a young woman who grew up taking pills for depression.

Thus a child or young teen might not know what their brain functioning would be like without medication because they have always had a routine of taking pills.

This is not an endorsement for discontinuing medication, not at all.  I'm just giving you an interesting dynamic about how things differ for someone whose drug routine begins at an early age.

Lastly I believe is it is extra hard for a young, vulnerable child to experience symptoms of schizophrenia.

Please be kind to him or her and tell this young person you love them.  Tell them often that you love them if they are your son or daughter.  See about finding them a therapist if they need to see one, a therapist trained to work with children and or teens.

Also: get them active in the world as much as possible given whatever limitations the child may have.  Encourage them to develop friendships, get them involved in volunteer work or part-time work when they get older, maybe even adopt a pet if you think they will be able to care for the pet.  Pet therapy is thought to work wonders for adults with mental illnesses so it might just help a child too.

Regards,

Christina