[Possibilities of preventing childhood schizophrenia]

The authors consider poorly studied questions of childhood schizophrenia prophylaxis (primary, secondary, individual, and social). At present it is virtually impossible to speak about primary and individual prophylaxis of childhood schizophrenia as an endogenic disease. Preventive measures of reduction of birth rates in groups of patients and individuals at a high risk of the disease should be considered as social prophylaxis aimed at decreasing the prevalence of this disease in the population and complicated by relevant deontological problems. Secondary (therapeutic) prophylaxis of infantile schizophrenia holds promise, due to the fact that the predictions of its outcome are not altogether gloomy and prophylactic treatment runs a favourable course in more than half the cases. Prospects of secondary (therapeutic) prophylaxis of childhood schizophrenia are steadily improving due to the breakthroughs of modern therapy.