Childhood Schizophrenia

Childhood schizophrenia trials

Understanding schizophrenia has been a march from dogmatism, mysticism, and scientific ambiguity, to a search for certainty. More so in children the presentation is quite distinct. This therapeutic area demands an understanding of psychoses in children, simplifying complex concepts and assuring complete patient focus by non-medical staff that is responsible for varied activities in a clinical trial. In depth cognizance of this disorder: etiology, presenting features, diagnosis, assessment and management is important. Each one cannot be a psychiatrist, but everyone can enhance understanding of concepts of illnesses in psychiatry to assure smooth functioning of the psychiatry drug trial.

Psychoses in children

Schizophrenia forms the prototype of psychotic problems. IN children, the symptoms are quite like adults; there simply is an earlier pre teenage onset. It embraces a diverse range of disturbance in perception, thought, motivation, emotion and movement with frank periods of disturbed behavior in the child’s life; set upon a background of emotional disturbance and disability. There is a ‘schism’ between thought, feeling and action. These children are not in control of themselves and their lives. They cannot influence their environment positively to learn and gain form it.

Why schizophrenia occurs

Schizophrenia is caused due to chemical changes in specific areas of the emotional brain. The brain’s chemical imbalance interferes with thoughts, emotions and behavior. Social and psychological factors also contribute. If genetically vulnerable children undergo stress, the neurotransmitter imbalance culminates in a psychotic breakdown at that tender age.

Clinical trial protocols

Children afflicted with psychoses are not in touch with reality. They have imagined beliefs, unrealistic fears, irrational behavior, impaired memory and attention span and also altered reaction styles. School, friends, self care becomes almost impossible. Life becomes strange and mysterious in the eyes of others. These variables are the ones typically assessed with rating scales in trials for children afflicted with mental illnesses. A detailed understanding of the same helps trial staff do their best to assure optimal functioning of the trial.

Childhood Psychoses

It is extremely important to know the features of childhood psychoses:

  • Self focused autistic behavior
  • Hearing voices that don’t exist
  • Seeing things that are not there
  • Unrealistic worrying and paranoia
  • Detachment and unrelatedness
  • Inability to live in a real world
  • Fantasy and bizarre presentation

Schizophrenia training

MINDFRAMES expertise in the area of childhood schizophrenia encompasses explanation of the core illness characteristics

  • History of childhood psychoses
  • Understanding Schizophrenia
  • Clinical symptom presentation
  • Diagnostic criteria DSM and ICD
  • Different assessment tools
  • Diagnostic interview process
  • Rating scales in schizophrenia
  • Source documentation and history
  • Progress report and prognosis
  • Site monitoring tools and tips
  • Anticipated adverse events
  • Expected realistic outcomes
  • Understanding trial dropouts
  • Communicating with investigators