[Misdiagnosis of first onset schizophrenia in adolescents]

The intensity of the symptomatology of schizophrenia in adolescents is essentially the same as in adults. As a rule schizophrenic psychoses in adolescence are first manifestations, and other psychiatric disorders have to be ruled out. The classical differential diagnoses include: exogenous psychoses, in particular drug-induced; affective psychoses; pubertal crises; personality disorders. Special early-onset features arise because drastic behaviour of another nature is occasionally misinterpreted or--more commonly the case--early schizophrenia in adolescents is not recognised and treated in time because of the uncharacteristic initial symptoms.