Patient's question:
The child is a 14-year-old girl. In the past six months, she has frequently been staring blankly and laughing to herself, claiming that someone is talking to her in her head and playing games with her. Her academic performance has been declining, and she doesn’t complete her homework. Over the past six months, she has also burned books and broken things. She often forgets what she says, and now that school has started again, she is reluctant to go. When she visited a local hospital, they said there were no issues with her intelligence or psychology, but they also referred to it as a form of delusion or a precursor to schizophrenia, suggesting that medication may be needed. Additionally, the family environment is somewhat unique, as the child’s mother works abroad, and her father raises her alone while also being busy with work, making "effective parental" difficult to achieve.Doctor's answer:
First of all, it is very certain that this child does indeed have issues. Someone talking to her in her head is auditory hallucinations, which is a psychotic symptom. Schizophrenia is most common, but other conditions like depression can also exist. Based on your description of the medical history, there is a high suspicion of a psychiatric illness. Whether it is schizophrenia or not, a face-to-face diagnosis with the patient is necessary. This is the acute phase of the illness, also known as the acute phase, not a "premonition." The problem is very serious, and immediate treatment at a psychiatric specialty hospital is required. Early diagnosis and treatment are beneficial for recovery. If it is confirmed that the child has schizophrenia or another illness, medication is needed. The child's unwillingness to attend school is likely influenced by the illness. There is no need to transfer schools; instead, the child needs to see a doctor. The parent's role is to take the child to a specialty hospital for treatment, and if possible, to a larger hospital.In clinical practice, I have found that most children with issues have problems at home. You can visit the department of psychological treatment in a psychiatric hospital. If conditions permit, inpatient treatment is ideal, with a combination of medication and psychological therapy being the most effective.