COIMBATORE: Doctors associated with the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) said childhood onset of schizophrenia is in the stage of 'estimated prevalence'. While childhood schizophrenia may seem rare (affecting approximately one in 30,000 children), a child with this condition may face poor prognosis, and treatment can be challenging if the child is not attended to earlier, they said.
"Schizophrenia occurs in about 1% of the population, which can be categorised into three different age groups — adults, early onset (before age 18) and childhood onset (before age 13). Among those with schizophrenia, 8-12% present with early onset, while childhood onset cases, though rare, still have an estimated prevalence. When it becomes a chronic condition, individuals may require lifelong medication. If parents seek help at an early stage, we can provide support to prevent further complications," said Dr M Helena Selvakodi, a psychiatrist with the DMHP initiative.
Under the DMHP, the health department has a team that is attending to approximately 2,300 individuals each month in Coimbatore district for various mental health issues, with cases of schizophrenia — a serious mental disorder — being the most prevalent. Since there are indications about an increase in such cases, they are concentrating on children's wellbeing from the pregnancy period. Now, they are planning to intensify the screening of schizophrenia among children below 5 years of age at anganwadi centres to ensure early intervention and treatment.
Dr Selvakodi emphasizes that a child needs love and care from their mother and others since birth. She said while schizophrenia, which is slightly more prevalent among men, it is now being increasingly observed in children as well.
"Early intervention and treatment can help prevent severe complications. Drug abuse is one of the major factors leading to childhood schizophrenia. We are focusing on early intervention for diagnosis and sensitising parents. Attending to children at anganwadi centres helps us detect them easily at the early stage, following which we can provide adequate treatment periodically. It is curable if treated at an early stage. We also counsel pregnant women on fostering positive thoughts during pregnancy and raising children healthily," she said.