Book discusses autism and childhood schizophrenia

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The first entry produced in a Google search for 'Child Psychopathology: Diagnostic Criteria and Clinical Asseessment' produces a preview of the book. Click on 'about this book' to access the different chapters.

Chapter 2 'Schizophrenia' by Andrew T. Russell gives a fascinating account of the history of the diagnoses of childhood schizophrenia, childhood psychosis and autism. "It is only recently [the book was published in 1992] that some intriguing new evidence has been presented suggesting that in a small number of children the phenomenoloical picture and longitudinal course may indeed show considerable overlap between classical autism and schizophrenia." (p.31).

Later the author asks "when a child 'hears a voice' does this imply the presence of serious psychopathology, much less schizophreia?" (p.37).

Not all the book is previewed, so there are pages missing.

To read all the pages available click on 'table of contents'.

Here are two extracts from the chapter "Child and Adolescent Onset Schizophrenia" in the book 'Schizophrenia' edited by Steven R. Hirsch and Daniel Roy Weinberger:

"In the USA the term 'multidimensionally impaired (MDI) [...] has been coined to describe children who have multiple early impairments in cognitive and social functioning and then develop transient psychotic symptoms in late childhood and early adolescence."

"Often it is only possible to distinguish between schizophrenia and disorders on the autistic spectrum by taking a careful developmental history that details the age of onset and pattern of autistic impairments in communication, social reciprocity and interest/behaviours."