What Are the Signs of Schizophrenia in Teens and Children?

Adolescence is a time of identity exploration, moodiness, and social changes, with many teens demonstrating shifts in personality as they approach young adulthood.

Some changes in personality are to be expected in adolescence, but sometimes these changes can be cause for concern.

If you’ve noticed drastic changes in your teen’s personality and have a family history of mental illness and psychosis, you may be concerned that your child might have schizophrenia. In this article, we’ll break down some of the signs of schizophrenia, early warning signs to look out for, and treatment options for young people with schizophrenia.

Adolescence is a time of identity exploration, moodiness, and social changes, with many teens demonstrating shifts in personality as they approach young adulthood.

Some changes in personality are to be expected in adolescence, but sometimes these changes can be cause for concern.

Related: Is My Daughter Bipolar?

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a rare, chronic, serious mental illness that affects roughly .3% of people worldwide. Many people with schizophrenia experience psychotic symptoms that make them feel disconnected from reality.

Primary symptoms of schizophrenia include:

Hallucinations: Hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there
Delusions: Believing others are out to get them or that they have supernatural powers

Disorganized speech: Jumbled, nonsensical, or confusing speech
Disorganized behavior: Inappropriate or seemingly bizarre behaviors
Negative symptoms: Restricted emotions, flattened facial expressions, loss of interest in activities, and social withdrawal

Schizophrenia is most commonly diagnosed between the late teen years and the early 30s, but symptoms do sometimes develop earlier in adolescence and even late childhood. When teens are diagnosed with schizophrenia before 18 years old, this is called early-onset schizophrenia. The rates for early-onset schizophrenia are roughly .2%. Kids younger than 13 can also develop childhood schizophrenia, but this is extremely rare.

What Are the Risk Factors for Schizophrenia?

There is not one single cause of schizophrenia; rather, schizophrenia typically develops due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Schizophrenia is highly heritable, meaning that it tends to run in families. Having a family member with a history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder increases a person’s risk of developing schizophrenia. Environmental risk factors include things like prenatal stress, childhood trauma, having a low birth weight, or exposure to infection before or soon after birth.

Having any one of these risk factors for schizophrenia does not mean that a person will definitely develop schizophrenia - it just makes it more likely.

What Are the Signs of Schizophrenia in Teens?

There are several early warning signs of schizophrenia that might be spotted in teens. Researchers call these early warning signs “prodromal” symptoms of potential psychosis.

Warning signs of schizophrenia include:

Social withdrawal
Significant changes in sleep (sleeping a lot more or a lot less)
Significant changes in eating (eating a lot more or a lot less)
Loss of interest in activities
Lack of motivation
Hearing or seeing things that aren’t there, like shadows or hearing voices
Having strange behaviors or ideas, like that they can control things with their mind
Feeling disconnected from reality
Drastic shifts or changes in personality
Persistent issues with personal hygiene

Importantly, these are not symptoms of psychosis and do not mean that someone has schizophrenia. However, if you recognize some of these symptoms in your teen and you have a family history of mental health disorders, it can be a good idea to reach out to a psychiatrist or healthcare provider for further assessment.

How to Diagnose Schizophrenia in Teens

If you have concerns that your child might have schizophrenia, the best thing to do is to seek out an assessment by your child’s doctor to determine whether their symptoms are being caused by a medical condition or another undetected issue.

Once other causes have been ruled out, you should contact a mental health professional or specialist in adolescent psychiatry. They can conduct an assessment with your teen to evaluate the severity of their symptoms and determine whether they have schizophrenia.

According to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia require the presence of two of the five symptoms of schizophrenia (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, and negative symptoms). For teens, these symptoms must have been present for at least one month and must have a negative impact on the teen’s social relationships or academic functioning.

Can Teenagers Grow Out of Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a chronic condition, which means that it is a lifelong illness and there is no cure. Teenagers cannot grow out of schizophrenia. However, with proper treatment and medication, schizophrenia can be fully managed and teens with schizophrenia can go on to live very full lives.

How is Schizophrenia Treated in Teens?

When it comes to schizophrenia in teens, early treatment is crucial. Although the best treatment plan will be developed in partnership with a psychiatrist and other mental health professionals, treatment for schizophrenia typically involves a combination of medication, therapy, and social support.

Antipsychotic medication: Medication is one of the best ways to manage schizophrenia symptoms. Antipsychotic medication helps to reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia and can help your teen feel more in touch with reality.
Therapy: There are many forms of therapy that can help treat schizophrenia. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help manage unhelpful thinking patterns. Family therapy can also be useful and can help ensure that all members of the family are getting the support they need. Family therapy is also effective at reducing symptoms and improving social functioning for the person with schizophrenia.
Social support: Because schizophrenia can lead to social isolation and disconnection, social support is a key element of treatment. This might include things like support groups or social skills training. Family therapy can also help increase a teen’s feelings of social support and connection.

How Can I Help My Teen with Schizophrenia?

Some of the best ways to help your teen are to show your love for them and support them in getting appropriate treatment. Encourage them to take their medication and attend therapy, and help provide them with support structures that get them to stick to your treatment plan.

Support your teen in getting enough sleep, eating a variety of foods, and avoiding drugs and alcohol, as this can worsen symptoms. Attending family therapy and engaging in your own self-care can also help your teen.

Having a teen with schizophrenia might be challenging, but it does not mean that the path ahead is set in stone. With the proper support and treatment, many teens with schizophrenia go on to lead happy and healthy lives.