The childhood psychosis It is a mental disorder in which there is a alteration of thought and emotions, which causes the child to lose contact with reality, being able to hear noises or see things that are not really happening (hallucinations) or believe things that are not true (delusions). In recent years, interest has increased in the early detection of this type of disorders in order to reduce or avoid, as far as possible, the consequences and suffering in the life of the child and their family, since research indicates that Early intervention is associated with a better prognosis and better quality of life in the long term, that is, in your adult life. In this Psychology-Online article we show you the types of childhood psychosis and their causes, as well as some tips that may help you.
There are several disorders, whether mental or not, that can lead to a psychotic disorder in children and adolescents:
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia can be diagnosed at any age and is the main cause of psychotic disorders in adolescents and adults. Schizophrenia in children is characterized by the presence of positive psychotic symptoms (thought disturbances, delusions) and negative psychotic symptoms (affective flattening, anergy, slow thinking and speech).
Children with psychosis seem to have fewer delusions and fewer catatonic symptoms, but they often present hallucinations, thought disturbances, and affective flattening.
delusional disorder
It is a disorder characterized by the presence of hallucinations and delusions. People who have this disorder usually have delusions that are not strange, they could occur in real life, such as being chased, poisoned, among others. These delusions are usually related to a poor perception of certain experiences, that is, the delusion could be an exaggeration of a real situation.
Schizoaffective disorder
It is a mental disorder characterized by persistent psychotic symptoms along with mood symptoms such as depression or bipolar disorder. Children or adolescents with this disorder often experience hallucinations and delusions along with symptoms of mania or depression (bipolar disorder). This disorder is the one with the greatest association with a worse prognosis in children.
Brief psychotic disorders
It is a short-term disorder that presents psychotic symptoms (hallucinations and delusions). These symptoms appear without warning and the episode lasts approximately 1 month.
Substance-induced psychotic disorder
This disorder occurs when the adolescent takes legal or illegal substances in a way that produces psychosis. There are numerous substances that have been related to the onset of psychosis or a worsening of psychotic symptoms, some of these substances are:
- Alcohol: is a common cause of psychotic episodes. It can occur as a result of chronic alcoholism, intoxication…
- Marijuana: it has been shown that they promote the appearance of psychotic symptoms by reducing the psychosis threshold.
- Cocaine and hallucinogens are other substances that can promote the appearance of psychotic symptoms.
Other disorders that can cause psychosis are:
- psychotic depression: a type of severe depression that occurs when the depression presents psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. Between 50 and 60% of children who have this depression can develop bipolar disorder.
- Bipolar disorder: in some cases it can trigger psychosis since some psychotic symptoms may appear during the manic or depressive episode.
Many researchers believe that the cause of developing a psychotic disorder may be a combination of genetic, physical, and environmental factors along with other risk factors.
The most common causes of psychotic disorders in children and adolescents are:
- Genetic factors: Some psychotic disorders occur in several members of the same family. Children and adolescents who have a family member with a psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia, are at greater risk of developing psychosis. Although genetic predisposition is a risk factor, it does not mean that all children who have a family member with a psychotic disorder will develop the disorder.
- Physical factors: Some neuroimaging studies that have examined the brains of people with psychotic disorders have identified differences in brain structure and function. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate are believed to play an important role in the development of these disorders. In addition, those children who have poorer health or a chronic medical condition are more likely to develop psychosis.
- Environmental factors: Children and adolescents who have experienced negative life events, have lived in poor conditions, or have not had a good support system are at greater risk of developing a psychotic disorder.
Risk factor’s:
- Family history of mental disorders
- Consumption of alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens
- Infections during pregnancy or hypertension that affect the baby
- High stress levels
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.