Omaha daily bee., 1922-03-04
CHILDREN WHO ARE odd

Dementia preeox Is a very impor-
tant mental disorder.
Although We are not entirely
agreed as 10 Just what II is or what
causes it-for wo have not known
about II very long-a large proper
tion OF the inmates of insane asyl.
ums arc labeled dementia preeox,
In New York state 1900 OF the
$4,000 inhane hospital population are
diagnosed as having this disorder.
In Minnesota's institutions about rs
10 ab per cent OF all admissions are
due 10 this disorder.
Furthermore. since the disorder
generally develops in young people,
tho duration OF care Is long and
nnslly. In the opinion OF DIR. Hiek-
son and other oriminologlsts, a large
proportion OF the young criminals
free TO prey on society when not in
Jails have dementia precox.
which children are liable 10 de-
yelop the disorder?
DIR. w. l.. Patterson OF Fergus
Falls. MIMI. says heridty is fac
Tor. Ninety per cent OF the cases
showed a hereditary taint. In 60
per cent OF the cases the stock had
cases OF mental disorders. and ner-
vous diseases and alcoholism came
second and third. respectively.
DIR. kilborne said he thought IL
fortunate that dementia precox de-
velopcd early In life. since Il pre-
vented so many OF the subjects from
marrying and begettIng large FAM
ilies. many OF whom would develop
the mental disorder.
Some children develop dementia
precox as early as 5 years OF age,
but tho rule is that the disorder does
not become definits until the period
OF puberty. or adolescence, or after.
The children who are very liable
to develop the disorder at this critl-
cal period OF life have been re-
marked as being out OF the ordinary
since they first got old enough to
play with other children.
DR.. Land said OF the earlier years
OF life OF these children:
THEY are the shut-in personal
tiles. They are poor social mixers.
the day-dreamers. They are occa-
sionally brilliant, but as a rule they
are not"
The general tendency towards de-
mentia precox can be traced back 10
long standing defects. Such are:
Inability to adjust the little. situa-
tions Of life, recourse to day-dreams
and various kinds Of flight from re-
atty.
DR.. Land thinks that early recog-
milton OF the meaning OF these quail
tiles OF mind and training based on
such recognition would prevent some
frorI becoming insane, and would
Make it possible for others to get on
in the world. even though insane.
Adolph Meyer says: "We find.
over and over. an account of ex-
emplary childhood. but gradual
change during adolescence. Close in
vestigation shows, however, that the
exemplary child often was exem-
plary under rather inadequate
ideal. an example of goodness and
meekness rather than of strength
and determination. Unac-
countable whims, with deficient con-
troll in matters of ethics and judg-
ment. Seclusion. 3.
Headaches. Freaky appe-
tites. Day-dreaming. =.
Utterly immature philosophiz-
ing"
Patterson says: "a child with the
habit of day-dreaming, craze for
reading, or abnormal sexual prac-
tices has these propensities neutral
ized by play with more natural chill
dren. II they are not so neutral
lied, they are liable to grow into
mental and emotional disorder"
Various authorities tell of lack
Of proper emotions, such as friend
ship, friendliness, sociabilty, graft
tude and affection, as chi.racterizing
those prone to develop into dementia
precoX