First episode psychosis in a paediatric hospital.

A brief description of a one year case series of young people presenting with first episode psychosis to a paediatric hospital in Singapore. The purpose of the study was to identify the clinical characteristics including duration of symptoms at presentation, medical investigations performed and short-term outcomes following diagnosis. The existing guidelines for medical investigations of first episode psychosis are vague leaving it to the clinical judgement of clinicians. This highlights the importance of joint initial assessment by paediatricians and child psychiatrists. The impact of stigma and cultural beliefs on delay in presentation and ongoing compliance to treatment are also discussed.