Clinical Profile of Schizophrenia in Children and Adolescents: Diagnosis, Symptoms and Prognosis

Öz

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder with a wide clinical spectrum that significantly impairs the functionality of the individual. It is less common under 18 years of age and clinical symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up processes differ from adult schizophrenia in certain aspects. This study aims to evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) and childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS). In this retrospective study, 83 children and adolescents diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-5 criteria were analyzed. Sociodemographic characteristics, age at first symptom, duration of diagnosis, comorbidities and treatment processes of the patients were analyzed. The mean age at diagnosis of schizophrenia was 14.42 ± 2.46 years. The mean time between the first psychiatric symptom and the diagnosis of schizophrenia was 11.1 ± 1.56 months. The mean age of starting the first psychiatric treatment was 13.26 ± 3.10 years and the mean age of starting the most commonly used drug group, antipsychotic drugs, was 13.93 ± 2.82 years. Comorbid psychiatric disorders were common, with ADHD and intellectual disability being the most frequently observed. In addition, 19% of the patients had a history of psychiatric disorders in their mothers and 20% in their fathers. Our study highlights the delays in the diagnostic process and the prevalence of comorbid disorders by determining the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with EOS and COS. It is emphasized that early diagnosis and intervention processes should be strengthened, individualized treatment approaches should be adopted, and long-term functionality of patients should be increased with multidisciplinary approaches.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• childhood-onset schizophrenia
• early-onset schizophrenia
• sociodemographic characteristics
• comorbid psychiatric disorders

Çocuk ve Ergenlerde Şizofreninin Klinik Profili: Tanı, Belirtiler ve Prognoz

Öz

Şizofreni geniş bir klinik yelpazesi olan bireyin işlevselliğini belirgin olarak bozan psikiyatrik bir bozukluktur. 18 yaşın altında daha nadir görülmekte ve klinik belirtiler, tanı, tedavi ve takip süreçleri erişkin dönem şizofrenisinden bazı yönleri ile ayrılmaktadır. Bu çalışma, erken başlangıçlı şizofreni (EOS) ve çocukluk başlangıçlı şizofreni (COS) tanısı almış hastaların sosyodemografik ve klinik özelliklerini değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Retrospektif olarak tasarlanan bu çalışmada DSM-5 kriterlerine göre şizofreni tanısı almış 83 çocuk ve ergen hasta incelenmiştir. Hastaların sosyodemografik özellikleri, ilk semptom yaşı, tanı alma süresi, komorbiditeleri ve tedavi süreçleri analiz edilmiştir. Hastaların ortalama şizofreni tanısı alma yaşı 14,42 ± 2,46 yıl olarak belirlenmiştir. İlk psikiyatrik semptomun ortaya çıkışı ile şizofreni tanısı alma arasında geçen süre ortalama 11,1 ± 1,56 ay olarak saptanmıştır. İlk psikiyatrik tedaviye başlama yaşı ortalama 13,26 ± 3,10 yıl ve en sık kullanılan ilaç grubu olan antipsikotik ilaçlara başlama yaşı ortalama 13,93 ± 2,82 yıl olarak saptanmıştır. Komorbid psikiyatrik bozukluklar yaygındı ve en sık DEHB ve entelektüel yetiyitimi gözlendi. Ayrıca, hastaların %19’unun annesinde ve %20’sinin babasında psikiyatrik bozukluk öyküsü saptanmıştır. Çalışmamız, EOS ve COS tanısı alan hastaların sosyodemografik ve klinik özelliklerini belirleyerek, tanı sürecinde yaşanan gecikmelere ve komorbid bozuklukların yaygınlığına dikkat çekmektedir. Erken tanı ve müdahale süreçlerinin güçlendirilmesi, bireyselleştirilmiş tedavi yaklaşımlarının benimsenmesi ve multidisipliner yaklaşımlar ile hastaların uzun vadeli işlevselliğinin artırılması gerektiği vurgulanmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• çocukluk çağı başlangıçlı şizofreni
• erken başlangıçlı şizofreni
• sosyodemografik özellikler
• komorbid psikiyatrik bozukluklar

Kaynakça

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