Kids and Schizophrenia

My wife and I are fostering a nine month old baby girl.  Her natural mother is a Paranoid schizophrenic.  I am not sure whether this condition is a result of drug use or if it something that was caused by other reasons.  The baby was taken from her mother by the Department of Community Services and put into our care at the age of 5 days and has been with us ever since.  The natural mother has taken DOCS to court and the court will be returning the baby to her mother in 6 weeks time for a trial period.  My questions are these: If the child goes back to the mother after coming from a an environment where she has been safe and secure will the upheaval affect her emotionally and could this bring on paranoid schizophrenia in the baby as a result?  Also is it possible to be cured of schizophrenia and if so does this mean the mother has to be still on drugs to control her condition?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Schizophrenia is a biologically-based mental disorder that can be treated with medication - it cannot be 'cured'. It will not be brought on by environmental events, such as the change in environments. And yes, if the mother is truly schizophrenic, she must continue to be treated with medication.