Can someone with schizophrenia take care of small children?

With some good help: A person with well-controlled schizophrenia should be able take care of his own children if he has help. The helper is not necessarily to help do the child care, but also to help monitor the status of the schizophrenic, because the schizophrenic may not be aware of his symptoms gradually returning, if the symptoms were to return. These situations are best judged on a case-by-case basis.

Depends: How severe is the illness how well it controlled how much external support is available--i've had several pts whose kids seem okay.

It depends: Often times, if a person with schizophrenia is well controlled with medication in terms of his or her symptoms; then that person is really able to do just about anything, including caring for kids. There are doctors who have schizophrenia. It is only when someone with schizophrenia has an exacerbation of their illness, that could cause some compromise in such areas of responsibility as child care.

Schiz.: Several schizophrenics in recovery and having strong social support system are indeed functioning in society.