Schizophrenia in children under 16 years.

Schizophrenic children admitted as inpatients to a child psychiatric unit over a 10-year period were reviewed in terms of demographic characteristics, clinical features, and social adaptation using the DSM-III as a frame of reference. Ten children who were first seen at least 1 year previously were followed up and reassessed as regards clinical status and level of adaptive functioning. As in other studies, outcome was related to age at onset, premorbid level of adaptation, rapidly of onset, clinical subtype, and presence of affective symptoms. However, deterioration following the active phase of the illness occurred in only four cases. The outcome in childhood schizophrenia may be more favorable than generally assumed, but there is a need for longer and larger studies of carefully diagnosed groups.