Warning about psychosis in children: Don't confuse it with 'dreamy' personality.

Typical symptoms of psychosis in children include delusions, hallucinations, and disorganization. However, many parents easily mistake these pathological manifestations for the child's dreamy or imaginative personality, leading to delayed treatment.

Doctor Nguyen Thi Hoa, from the Institute of Mental Health, examines a patient - Photo: DUONG LIEU

According to doctors at the Institute of Mental Health (Bach Mai Hospital), recently many child patients have been admitted to the hospital with severe psychosis and schizophrenia because their families did not recognize the symptoms early or stopped medication on their own, making treatment more difficult.

Confusing "dreaming" with psychosis.

According to Doctor Vuong Dinh Thuy, the hospital recently admitted a 14-year-old patient with severe psychosis, exhibiting agitated behavior and constantly believing that someone is trying to harm him.

The patient is a 9th-grade student with good academic performance but under immense academic pressure and high expectations for herself. Her mother reported that since 6th grade, her daughter had exhibited behaviors such as sitting and laughing to herself and muttering to herself. Because of her good academic results, the family was complacent and did not take her to see a doctor.

About a year before hospitalization, the patient began experiencing insomnia, talking to themselves, and believing that friends were speaking ill of them. Although prescribed medication by the doctor, the family stopped taking it on their own due to concerns about side effects.

Over the past three months, the situation has worsened: auditory hallucinations, incoherent speech, destruction of property, and even assault. The family was forced to take the child to the hospital urgently.

At the hospital, the child was diagnosed with agitated psychosis due to schizophrenia. Dr. Thuy emphasized that the child had shown early signs such as talking to himself and having high expectations.

This is a warning sign of schizophrenia, but parents often mistake it for adolescent psychology, leading to delayed treatment and worsening of the condition.

Risk factors and early warning signs

According to Doctor Nguyen Thi Hoa, psychosis is common in adolescents and rarely occurs before the age of 12.

Several risk factors increase the likelihood of developing the disease, including: a family history of mental disorders or carrying related genes; obstetric complications during pregnancy or childbirth; childhood trauma; low IQ (below 85); substance use such as marijuana, especially before age 15; difficult living conditions and low educational attainment.

Dr. Hoa advises parents to take their children for an early check-up if they notice their child saying or hearing things that aren't true but still perceives them as subjective experiences, or if there are sudden changes in behavior, personality, or academic performance.

"Children will undergo a comprehensive assessment of their medical history, living environment, education, and related factors. If diagnosed with a disease, early intervention will prevent it from progressing and increase the chances of successful treatment," Dr. Hoa emphasized.

Dr. Ngo Van Tuat, from the Institute of Mental Health, stated that patients with schizophrenia must take medication for life. If taken correctly as prescribed, they can still live, study, and work normally.

"However, stopping medication on your own can easily lead to a relapse, often more severe. Many families are afraid of side effects and therefore discontinue the medication, which is a dangerous mistake," Dr. Tuat warned.

WILLOW

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/canh-bao-loan-than-o-tre-dung-nham-lan-voi-tinh-cach-mong-mo-20250915181440796.htm