Bipolar Disorder in Children

Bipolar Disorder is a condition that is long-term and can be distracting to a child's life, creating upset and causing disorder. It can, however, be treated properly if it is diagnosed early and a child can live a normal life once treatment begins. There are medications available to treat such disorders but there are also forms of counseling, such as psychotherapy, that are helpful in treating Bipolar Disorder. A lot of children who have Bipolar Disorder have actually been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder because the guidelines, which are found in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition (Diagnostic Statistics Manual M-IV), outline criteria that are based on classic symptoms for adults, not children.

Bipolar Disorder is becoming more common among children as we pass traits down to them that to some degree could be avoided. Nearly 80% of children that are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder have someone on both sides of their family that has previously suffered from a mood disorder or suffers from alcoholism. Alcoholism has been known to play a significant role in the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic Depressive Disorder, is a serious brain disorder that affects a person's mood. Mood swings can range from very low depressive phases to very high maniac phases. During depressive phases a child feels extremely sad, loses interest and eagerness in their normal activities, and is not very active. During maniacal phases a child fees extremely happy, is full of energy, and is more active that normal. Bipolar Disorder, especially in children, is more than just the normal "ups" and "downs" of everyday life. It is more intense and can make it difficult for a child to get along with others or perform well in school.

Common symptoms of early-onset Bipolar Disorder include restlessness, anxiety, temper tantrums that can last for several hours, anxiety for fear of separation, anxiety over social activities and being around other people, hyperactivity and distractibility, racing and confused thoughts, behavior that is aggressive, being oversensitive to emotional triggers, extremely low self-esteem, bed-wetting (occurs more frequently in boys), night terrors, fantasizing and daydreaming extensively, hallucinations and delusions, lying excessively and having a feeling of paranoia, behaving in a compulsive and manipulative way, insufficient short-term memory and disabilities in learning, being fascinated with things that are morbid, thoughts of suicide and in some cases suicidal behaviors, tics of the motor and vocal kind, finding pleasure in destroying things, especially property that belongs to others. Symptoms that are not as common but are still present in early-onset Bipolar Disorder include being cruel to animals, self-mutilation, and migraine headaches.

Some signs and symptoms of a manic episode include euphoria, racing thoughts and rapid speech, irritation, an enhanced self-esteem or being egotistical, being excessively positive or optimistic, a decline in performance at school due to distractions and the inability to concentrate, hallucinating or experiencing states of psychosis, a decrease in the need for sleep and an increase in the need for physical activity. When going through a manic phase a person generally becomes careless about things such as using drugs and displaying aggressive behavior.

Signs and symptoms of a depressive phase include extreme sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, feelings of guilt and shame, excessive fatigue, thoughts of suicide and suicidal behavior, a significant decrease in appetite resulting in weight loss, restlessness and the inability to sleep, pain that becomes chronic with the cause being unknown, loss of interest in the normal, daily activities, decline in performance in school.

Bipolar Disorder is a difficult disease for adults to deal with. For children it can be very frightening and confusing. Some children become so depressed that suicide seems a reasonable option to them and many will attempt to hurt themselves. It is important to stay involved in your child's life as much as possible. Always know what they are learning in school, how well they are doing in their academic work, if they are getting along with other children, if they obey their superiors, and how well they are tolerating being away from home for several hours at a time during the day. If there is a significant change at school it is crucial to know the signs to look for at home. Behavioral changes will always be the number one factor in determining if there is something wrong with your child. If your child's behavior changes to a degree that is alarming to you it should be brought to the attention of your doctor as soon as possible.

Sources

Miklowitz, David J. The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide: What You and Your Family Need to Know. New York, New York: The Guilford P; 1 Edition, 2002.

Fink, Candida, and Joe Kraynak. Bipolar Disorder for Dummies. United States: For Dummies; 1 Edition, 2005.

About.com *"Red Flags: Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Children" (accessed April 2, 2010).

National Institute for Mental Health

The Mayo Clinic