Any schizophrenic difficult children out there?

[gcvmom]

And if yours IS, did you ever have a brain MRI?

I know I'm reaching here, but... we got the results from difficult child 2's MRI today. They said everything was normal EXCEPT his 4th ventricle is somewhat enlarged... and since that is unrelated to the problem he IS having, the neuro side-stepped that and went on to discuss the problem at hand.

So now I'm home and googling stuff on the 4th ventricle, and the one thing that pops up and concerns me is that enlargement in the ventricles is almost always a given in schizophrenia.

And with difficult child 2's myriad behavior and mood issues, I worry...

So please share your experience with schizophrenia and tell me not to worry!

 

[crazymama30]

I have no experience with schizophrenia, I believe it is rather rare in children. Maybe talk to psychiatrist? I am sure he/she would want to know about it .

 

[smallworld]

Has difficult child 2 ever said he hears voices and sees things that aren't real?

 

[klmno]

I can't answer your question, but did want to send support.

If it were me, I think I would talk to at least one psychiatrist and pediatrician and possibly neurologist on this, too, before accepting a diagnosis that rare for a child this age. I've questioned whether or not my difficult child hallucinates, but it seems therre are so many things that can cause different symptons, etc., I am trying really hard not to cast anything in stone.

 

[katya02]

Hi, I'm new (used to come here but was away so long I forgot my old user name etc. - I'm lucky I still remember my own name, these days!), and my oldest ds was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 12. It seemed early but his symptoms were absolutely classic and there didn't seem much else it could be. He hasn't had any MRIs of the brain so I don't know the state of his ventricles.

Some docs have questioned or rejected his diagnosis and for a time he was considered schizoaffective, and then perhaps just bipolar (despite never having been manic or hypomanic), but at college his doctor has also given the scz diagnosis. One of the reasons some of the others reject it is that he's so high-functioning - he's doing extremely well in a very demanding program and wants to apply to law school. The positive symptoms seem to come and go, and he isn't troubled much by the negative symptoms, which is what lets him accomplish things.

I don't know what meaning we can take from the MRI results in schizophrenics without further studies being done. At the moment it is more of an observation; I hope its significance will become clearer at some point. In the meantime I would just work with your difficult child's clinical symptoms and behaviors. And although schizophrenia is a serious diagnosis, every person who has it has a different course. I wish you and difficult child 2 well.

Best,
Katya

difficult child - 22, schizophrenic/schizoaffective, doing well at university
difficult child - 19, early onset bipolar, possible borderline, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) not otherwise specified, substance abuse
easy child - 17, high school senior, amazing student, traumatized by difficult child 2's history
easy child - 15, sunshine in human form, had ADD but does wonderfully now

 

[gcvmom]

Crazymama30 - I will ask the neuro and the psychiatrist exactly what this could mean when I see them again in the next few weeks. I don't think he has any symptoms now. I'm just wondering if this is ever a predictor...

Smallworld - No, not to my knowledge. When he was 6 and we were trialing Zoloft (which he did not do well on, and ended up on Risperdal), he once made a strange comment to me that made me wonder about that... but that's the only time.

Klmno - Thank you I'll definitely be asking the neuro and psychiatrist again when I see them. I'm probably worrying over nothing.

Katya02 - Thank you for sharing your experience with this disease. While I don't think there are any signs in difficult child 2 per se, I just worried that this abnormality might be a predictive marker? Especially with his existing mood issues. Shows you how little I know... I little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, huh?

Anyway, today's meeting with the neuro was more about difficult child 2's diagnosis of Sydenham's Chorea, so that's why we never touched on the venticle finding. We go back in 3 weeks, so I will surely address it then. We also see the psychiatrist for a regular checkup next week, so there's another resource to tap.

Thanks so much everyone!

 

[katya02]

Sorry gcvmom, I misunderstood your post. All the best with your followup appointments!