Comparisons of childhood and adult schizophrenia?

I'm not quite sure what you are asking, but ultimately the criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia is the same. In children who develop schizophrenia, the symptoms often develop much more slowly. Parents may notice that something seems "off" - for example, the child may slowly become increasingly withdrawn, show less emotional expression, and school performance may begin to decline for no apparent reason.

In time, the decline will be more severe and psychosis will develop. For example, the child will begin to have hallucinations - often involving hearing voices, although he or she may see things which aren't really there as well - and / or delusions, which are beliefs not based in reality. Like schizophrenic adults, children with schizophrenia will often have increasing difficulty organzing their thoughts, and their speech may become more impaired.

If a child begins to exhibit any of the above unusual behaviors, an evaluation by a mental health professional should be considered sooner than later. Early treatment can result in a better long-term outcome, although there is no guarantee.