Identification and treatment of individuals with childhood-onset and early-onset schizophrenia

Approximately 8 % of patients with schizophrenia are diagnosed before age 18, and 18 % experience their first symptoms before age 18. This narrative review explores the management of patients with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) and childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) from diagnosis to their transition to adult care settings. Early diagnosis of schizophrenia in children and adolescents is essential for improving outcomes, but delays are common due to overlapping of symptoms with developmental phenomena and other psychiatric conditions, including substance use, and lack of clinicians’ awareness. Once diagnosed, antipsychotic treatment is key, with specific second-generation agents generally being preferred due to better tolerability and their broader efficacy evidence-base in youth. Dosing should be carefully individualized, considering age-related differences in drug metabolism and side effect liability. Clinicians must be vigilant in detecting early non-response and consider switching or dose escalation when appropriate. Since early age of illness onset is a consistent risk factor for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), clinicians need to be competent in diagnosing TRS and using clozapine. Since COS and EOS are associated with cognitive deficits and impaired functioning, psychosocial interventions should be considered to improve overall functioning and quality of life. Good long-term outcomes depend on continuous treatment engagement, and successful transitioning from pediatric to adult care requires careful planning, early preparation, and collaboration between pediatric and adult clinicians. Targeting functional outcomes and quality of life in addition to symptom remission can improve overall patient well-being. Comprehensive evaluations, age-specific assessments, and targeted interventions are needed to address the unique challenges of EOS and COS.