Changing diagnosis of childhood psychosis

The case findings of thirty-three children given a diagnosis of psychosis during hospitalization in the '50s and '60s were reviewed and rediagnosed in 1973. Childhood schizophrenia was the original diagnosis in 58% of the cases but was the rediagnosis in only 18% of those same cases. Chronic brain syndrome with various reactions (psychotic reaction, nonpsychotic behavioral reaction, and mental retardation and autism) was the diagnosis in 27% of the cases, originally, but was given to 67% of the cases on rediagnosis. One-third of the children originally diagnosed as psychotic were rediagnosed as nonpsychotic. Approximately two-thirds of the children were nonpsychotic according to the DeMyer-Churchill guidelines.