Treatment of schizophrenia in children and adolescents

  So far, the understanding of schizophrenia has also been limited. The aim of pharmacological and psychological treatment is to modify the course of the disease, such as shortening the symptom outbreak and prolonging the recovery period between episodes, in order to enable children and adolescents with the disorder to lead as normal a life as possible.  In the clinical process, pharmacological and psychological interventions can alleviate psychotic symptoms and support the child-adolescent and his or her family. Without intervention, adolescents often further expand their delusional belief systems and reinforce dysfunctional behavior patterns.  Appropriate pharmacological treatment can help control both positive and negative symptoms. However, for most individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, residual positive symptoms will persist and relapse is possible. Therefore, psychological interventions are also very important.  Psychological interventions can help family members understand the concept of schizophrenia and give the person maximum support and minimal emergency stress. The same can be done to help adolescents understand this mental disorder, learn to cope with symptoms, and manage stress levels to positively reduce distress.