Schizophreniform Psychosis of Childhood

Twenty-two children were studied who had symptoms that closely correspond to the 1966 GAP description of schizophreniform psychosis: extensive fantasies, impaired reality testing, hallucinations, paranoia, fluctuating ego functioning, and intensely dependent attachments to adults, especially the mother. Unlike most childhood psychoses, this disorder did not appear until early latency. If early psychotherapy, lasting a year or more, was carried out, the prognosis was good. The authors stress the importance of early recognition and treatment of this disorder and urge an end to its neglect in the literature.