Bipolar disorder was once thought to be a condition that was confined to adults only. However, recent evidence indicates that bipolar disorder may be as common in young people, ages 14 to 18, as among adults. Adolescents, teenagers and even children as young as five are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Children and bipolar disorder symptoms are a different breed than their adult counterparts. The condition affects children differently and that symptoms often mimic other disorders. For instance, a doctor may diagnose a child with ADHD, when they actually suffer from bipolar disorder. Children and bipolar disorder symptoms need to be observed by doctors who have experience in these types of mental health issues so that an accurate diagnosis can be made early.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Children

Symptoms of bipolar disorder in children present in the form of explosive temper, tantrums, marked irritability, hyperactivity, impulsivity and restlessness or fidgetiness. As you can see, many of the symptoms mimic those of ADHD, and this is the dilemma that many physicians face. A child comes in with the parent complaining of these specific symptoms and the tests used to confirm a diagnosis of either condition are not one hundred percent fail proof because the symptoms in children with bipolar disorder and children with ADHD are so much alike.

As a parent, observing behaviors in your child such as racing thoughts, a depressed mood, low self esteem, social anxiety, difficulty getting up in the morning, frequent mood swings, rages, oppositional behavior, night terrors and compulsive behavior could be indicative of bipolar disorder and you should have him or her evaluated. Other common symptoms include social anxiety, oversensitivity to emotional triggers, easily distracted, hyperactivity, silly or giddy, racing thoughts, aggressiveness and lethargy.

Symptoms that you may not readily associate with child bipolar disorder are carbohydrate cravings, bed wetting (this is more prevalent in boys with the disorder), night terrors, excessive daydreaming, rapid speech, bossiness, manipulative behavior, destructive (to property), paranoia. Hallucinations and delusions as well as motor and vocal tics are also hallmark traits of bipolar in children.

Getting a Diagnosis

If you suspect that your child has bipolar disorder, you should understand that getting a diagnosis can be a rather long process. Your child will have to be observed carefully over a period of time to establish consistent behavior patterns. You can aid in this process by keeping a daily log, noting your child’s mood and behavior. Note eating and sleeping patterns, any unusual events that occur either with the child or within the child’s environment and record any statements that your child makes that concern you or you feel may be relevant to their condition. Share this log with your child’s physician or psychiatrist when you begin the diagnosis process.

When you choose a physician for your child, it is important that you try to find a doctor who is knowledgeable about bipolar and mood disorders. They should have a strong understanding of psychiatric drugs and they should be current in their knowledge of treatments for mood disorders. It is very important that the doctor you select view you, your child and themselves as a team working to help your child. In short, you want someone on your side, to work with you and who is well versed in bipolar disorder.

Information on Child Bipolar Disorder

There are many websites available that offer good information regarding bipolar disorder and child bipolar disorder. If you are concerned that your child may have bipolar disorder, then getting good information through research is a very good start.

Bipolar disorder was once thought to be a condition that was confined to adults only. However, recent evidence indicates that bipolar disorder in children may be as common in young people, ages 14 to 18, as among adults. Adolescents, teenagers and even bipolar in children as young as five are being diagnosed with the illness. Children and bipolar disorder symptoms are a different breed than their adult counterparts. The condition affects children differently and that symptoms of bipolar often mimic other disorders. For instance, a doctor may diagnose a child with ADHD, when they actually suffer from bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder in children need to be observed by doctors who have experience in these types of mental health issues so that an accurate diagnosis can be made early.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Children

Symptoms of bipolar disorder in children can present themselves in the form of explosive tempers, tantrums, marked irritability, hyperactivity, impulsivity and restlessness or fidgetiness. As you can see, many of the symptoms mimic those of ADHD, and this is the dilemma that many physicians face. A child comes in with the parent complaining of these specific symptoms and the tests used to confirm a diagnosis of either condition are not one hundred percent fail proof because the symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and ADHD are so much alike.

As a parent, observing behaviors in your child such as racing thoughts, a depressed mood, low self esteem, social anxiety, difficulty getting up in the morning, frequent mood swings, rages, oppositional behavior, night terrors and compulsive behavior could be indicative of bipolar disorder and you should have him or her evaluated. Other common symptoms include social anxiety, oversensitivity to emotional triggers, easily distracted, hyperactivity, silly or giddy, racing thoughts, aggressiveness and lethargy.

Symptoms that you may not readily associate with bipolar disorder in children are carbohydrate cravings, bed wetting (this is more prevalent in boys with the disorder), night terrors, excessive daydreaming, rapid speech, bossiness, manipulative behavior, destructive (to property), paranoia. Hallucinations and delusions as well as motor and vocal tics are also hallmark traits of bipolar in children.

Getting a Diagnosis

If you suspect that your child has bipolar disorder, you should understand that getting a diagnosis can be a rather long process. Your child will have to be observed carefully over a period of time to establish consistent behavior patterns. You can aid in this process by keeping a daily log, noting your child’s mood and behavior. Note eating and sleeping patterns, any unusual events that occur either with the child or within the child’s environment and record any statements that your child makes that concern you or you feel may be relevant to their condition. Share this log with your child’s physician or psychiatrist when you begin the diagnosis process.

When you choose a physician for your child who is showing symptoms of bipolar, it is important that you try to find a doctor who is knowledgeable about this mental illness. They should also have a strong understanding of psychiatric drugs and should be current in their knowledge of treatments for mood disorders. It is very important that the doctor you select view you, your child and themselves as a team working to help your child. In short, you want someone on your side, to work with you and who is well versed in bipolar disorder in children

Information on Bipolar Disorder in Children

There are many websites available that offer good information regarding bipolar disorder and child bipolar disorder. If you are concerned that your child may have bipolar disorder, then getting good information through research is a very good start.

Symptoms of Bipolar

Bipolar has a number of symptoms attached to it. Everything from depression and suicidal thoughts to irrational and violent behaviors can be found within the symptom list of bipolar. Mild symptoms that are barely noticeable and do not interfere with daily life can also be a part of bipolar.

Bipolar is also characterized by mood shifts from one extreme to another. A person suffering from bipolar can be overly energetic one day, normal the next day, and on the third day be completely despondent. Other behaviors such as uncontrolled spending, refusing to eat, and extreme fatigue are also symptoms of bipolar.

Symptoms of Bipolar In Children

The symptoms of bipolar are slightly different for children. There are a number of theories as to why children express bipolar disorder differently. While you may still find that children express bipolar disorder with despondency and high energy respectively, there are a host of other symptoms, which can express themselves in children.

One of the biggest is night terrors. Night terrors are similar to nightmares only there is no memory and it is often difficult to wake the child. If these episodes extend past the medically advisable age it may be an indication of bipolar disorder. Only a trained medical professional can make a diagnosis as to whether or not a child is suffering from bipolar.

Another major element on the symptom list for bipolar in children are the types of temper tantrums that can occur. Children who suffer from bipolar generally tend to have temper tantrums that can last for as long as an hour or more. They tend to involve violent movements and may need to be restrained in order to avoid injury.

The Bottom Line

These are just some of the symptoms. One of the biggest difficulties with being able to determine if a child may be suffering from bipolar is the fact that there is such a wide range of symptoms, which can be expressed. The internet is a great place to locate information and lists of symptoms as well as things to watch out for.

If you notice any of these signs consider keeping a journal of them and discuss your concerns with your child's primary care provider. Getting assistance with the symptoms of bipolar in children as soon as possible can ensure that you and your child learn to control and manage the effect this illness has on you and your child's life. Bipolar is a serious illness that can have wide spread effects through the lives of those that suffer from it and their family.

Bipolar disorder is a definition that is used for people who have periods of elevated moods and can also become depressed for periods of time too. The term bipolar is also called manic depression because of the two opposite extremes. Bipolar is diagnosed by a psychiatrist based on moods that are verified as hyper meaning high or hypo meaning lower. Manic is a loose term because those with bipolar disorder often have thoughts of unusual psychosis. Bipolar in Children has become a new problem for parents to deal with since so much information has been given national attention. Bipolar disorder children have trouble concentrating and often feel defeated or depressed.

Signs of Bipolar in Children?

Since signs of bipolar can be misdiagnosed by people who think that a person is bipolar just because of the way they act are often misread. There is a general amount of time that certain mood swings last, people with elevated moods or those to the extreme such as adrenalin junkies, moods are elevated, when moods are decreased or fall below normal levels of functioning they are called depressed. Moods are factors in how we act or function in a certain situation, it’s when the mood is not removed from the situation that we find signs of bipolar. There is a pendulum that swings both ways when diagnosing people. They have both moods as even, extremely hyper or extremely hypo. Bipolar in Children is better recognized because normal mood swings are apparent but when they are extreme parents can see changes in a child’s behavior and moods based on daily life.

Overlapping of Bipolar Disorder Children Symptoms.

Moods affect everyone around you, if you are happy and everybody is down then a majority of moods will sway yours. Those who are depressed or sad while everybody is happy will allow their mood to shift too. People often throw the term bipolar around because they think that a person who can be happy one day and sad the next. There are some warning sign of bipolar disorder that people need to be aware of, when somebody is feeling down or depressed and talks of suicide, that’s a warning sign. Rarely are people who happy have such thoughts, the normal functioning person has normal moods. Bipolar disorder children are often thought of as lazy or too hyper, diagnosis of their moods helps doctors to find out the extreme between each.

Because bipolar disorder is often linked with other symptoms such as ADHD children are lumped into a category that defines them by how they manage their moods without medication. Parents should be aware that people who are quick to diagnose children are not always professionals. Find out what the criteria is to be bipolar, concentration problems or mood swings during puberty are not symptoms of bipolar. It’s a sticky label and once adhesives are used it’s hard to undo.

Diagnosis.

Diagnosing Bipolar in Children can be done in a doctor’s office. There is no blood test that can be taken to prove it exists though, many diagnosis are done by social workers, nurses and clinical psychologists. Parents who fear that their child may be bipolar can do an evaluation at home and base it on their moods during certain situations. Eating, sleeping and non reactive moods are the best indicators for parents to look for if they think their child is bipolar. Moods can last for minutes, hours or days, it depends on what triggers the mood and how long it last.

Children who are bipolar are not considered lost. Parents have many resources at their fingertips and a child who deals with bipolar disorder can lead a normal life. There are organizations that are designed to help parents with resources and support groups that help them cope with this all too common diagnosis. Parents should not blame themselves or the child, knowing early on is better than finding out too late. Children need advocates and parents are the best way to help them function when they don’t know what to do.

The symptoms of bipolar in children are due to a number of factors which may be emotional, environmental or neurological in nature. Most cases of the disease are due to a combination of environmental and biological factors. The exact cause, however, is still a subject of some debate.

Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger’s syndrome is often conflated with bipolar disorder in the diagnostic phase. This disorder is a development disorder which is similar to autism in its effects. The areas of social development and communicative abilities are profoundly affected.

Like bipolar disorder, the causes of this disorder are not known with any certainty. However, Asperger’s does tend to run in families, suggesting a hereditary factor. It is believed to have neurological and/or genetic root causes.

Misdiagnosis

Bipolar disorder children are sometimes misdiagnosed as having Asperger’s since the symptoms can present similarly – compulsive behaviors, aggressive episodes and strange habits. In both disorders, there can be behavioral, anger and social development problems.

Bipolar in children may of course also be afflicted with Asperger’s syndrome. However, it is unknown in these cases if the two disorders are related, with the same underlying neurological or genetic factors being responsible or if the two arise independently. Research is continuing into both disorders, with answers likely to come in the following decades.

Treatment Options

Bipolar medication that is given to bipolar children and those with Asperger’s syndrome tend to be similar. Since the symptoms of both disorders are similar, they are often treated using the same medications.

Counseling and therapy are also both employed in the treatment of bipolar in children and children with Asperger’s syndrome. This may be done alone or in conjunction with pharmaceutical therapies. While the majority of Asperger’s syndrome do not necessarily need medication, therapy is very helpful in teaching the patient to cope with the disorder. Bipolar children are usually given therapy regardless of whether or not they are treated with medication.

If you suspect that your child may be suffering from either bipolar disorder or Asperger’s syndrome, contact your physician or mental health care provider to have a diagnosis performed. This way, a course of treatment can be given.

This discovery will make it easier for bipolar disorder children to get the help they need at an early stage and have a normal life when they become adults. The proper treatment for bipolar in children is a source of dispute among professionals. Some want to use medications and therapy combined for treatment but parents and some mental health experts disagree with this method.

Bipolar in Children – Medication Downside

Parents do not like the effect bipolar medication has on their child’s personality. They seem to lose certain traits that make them enjoyable as a person. Both children and adults when medicated to excess or unnecessarily do not seem like the same person. A child may appear to be “zoned out” or unresponsive to things children normally react to. This is worrisome for a parent and makes them wonder if it is doing more harm than good to put their child on medication.

Many use play therapy to treat bipolar disorder children. This helps them to live a happier and more normal life. The technique is to present a situation to the child in which he or she must come up with a sensible and normal healthy solution. This may not work well for every child. They may need additional help. The mood swings and other bipolar children symptoms are sometimes severe enough to cause uncontrollable actions and unpredictable reactions to certain events.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT

Another useful therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy. Patients with bipolar disorder are taught to realize when they have symptoms and learn what triggers these symptoms. They learn alternatives for inappropriate behavior and mood swings. The patient will also learn what to do to avoid having episodes of mania or depression and better ways to deal with an episode if they have one. This treatment works very well in adults with and without medication.

It may be difficult to use cognitive behavioral therapy in children as it involves using thinking and problem abilities that are unlikely to be present in children. It is not considered for use in bipolar disorder children for this reason. Once a child reaches a certain age or age level, this method is used with success. If this type of therapy were brought down to the child’s level it could be used effectively some believe. This would likely be difficult to do.

Seek Advice for Bipolar in Children

Options for treatment need to be discussed with your child’s doctor, psychologists, parents, teachers, or anyone else involved your Childs life. This will help ensure better success in treating your child’s bipolar disorder. If anyone involved notices a problem or has concerns about any treatments for bipolar children symptoms, they should come forward immediately as changes may have to be made in treatment. If a child does not seem to be improving with treatment or medication, the parent may want to consider changing physicians.

Early Treatment of Bipolar Disorder Children

The benefits of early diagnosis of bipolar in children are many, but perhaps the most important fact is, their chances of being successfully treated and living normal lives are greatly improved. However, being children, providing treatment for them can be an extremely sensitive issue as parents and doctors often don't agree. In many cases, doctors favor medication as the primary treatment and recommend therapy only to augment the medication bipolar kids receive. On the other hand, a large percentage of parents and an increasing number of psychologists don't believe this to be the ideal course of action.

Of course it's understandable for parents to feel this way when one considers the effects which these medications can have on a child's personality traits. In fact, it's not only children, but adults as well that are vulnerable to the effects of bipolar medication. Many parents claim that such medications tend to deprive their kids of their unique individuality, often causing them to become increasingly despondent and in some cases, almost disconnected in a sense. With these effects having been reported on so many occasions, one cannot help but to wander if these kids would be better off without medication.

Therapy Treatment

One alternative treatment for bipolar disorder children, known as play therapy, has enjoyed much success in helping kids with this condition to enjoy happy childhoods. During this therapy, bipolar kids are put in various hypothetical situations and they are then encouraged to respond in an acceptable manner and to find solutions which are emotionally well balanced. One must however also realize that some bipolar children symptoms, such as mood swings, can be so severe that play therapy may well prove to be ineffective. In cases where the symptoms are this severe, the child may in fact have little or no control over their actions or even their emotions.

A relatively new line of therapy which involves teaching patients how to recognize the symptoms of bipolar disorder, as well as factors that could trigger mood swings, is known as cognitive behavioral therapy. Furthermore, patients are also taught how to avoid bouts of depression and how best to manage such episodes when they do occur. Adults in particular can benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, with or without medication.

Cognitive Therapy

One drawback of cognitive behavioral therapy is that it most often requires a relatively high degree of problem solving and lines of thinking which a child doesn't have, hence the reason why this form of therapy is not frequently used when treating bipolar kids. There is however those who feel that if the techniques were altered accordingly, this therapy could prove to be beneficial for treating bipolar in children but of course, there are others who argue that this is easier said than done.

Essentially, it's fundamental that absolutely everyone who is in some way involved with a bipolar kid, gets together in order to discuss the various treatment options. This includes not only the parents, but also psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, and even teachers. If parents or even a teacher becomes concerned with regards to the effect any treatment may be having on a child, it should be discussed as soon as possible and the necessary action taken, even it that means a change of doctor.

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How common is Bipolar in Children?

The diagnosis of bipolar in children is considered controversial and very rare.   According to some studies, the onset of the disorder prior to the age of ten can be estimated to about 0.3% to 0.5% of the people affected with bipolar disorder. Some case reviews even suggest a prevalence rate that is higher than this figure. The number of bipolar kids has increased 40-fold from the year 1994 to the year 2003 and is currently continuing to increase in rate. Recent studies suggest that bipolar can strike as early as the age of seven years old and is now a more common case compared to the cases handled in the past.

Adolescent Bipolar

The peak years of the onset of most bipolar illnesses are during late adolescence and early adulthood.  People who are experiencing bipolar during this time of their lives can be severely disrupted since these are the critical periods in the development of vocational and social aspects of a young adult's life. In any given year, about 2.6 percent of people who age 18 years and older suffer from bipolar illness.

The symptoms of bipolar are different in adults than in children, which presents a diagnostic challenge to the professionals in the field of mental health. Bipolar in adults have predictable patterns of symptoms, unlike in bipolar disorder children that very often exhibit explosive outburst and irritable moods. Also, bipolar kids may experience the cycles of manic-depressive far more rapidly compared to adult cases.

Bipolar Disorder Children

More often than not, bipolar disorder children may be overlooked due that the fact that some of the symptoms can mimic other symptoms of mental disorders such as the ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.  Sometimes, bipolar even co-exists with ADHD.

Bipolar in Adults

Unlike bipolar disorder in children, in adults, bipolar is often not recognized as an illness because it can mask the symptoms of postpartum psychosis, postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and substance abuse. Bipolar must be carefully managed throughout the life of the person since it is a long-term disorder.

Because of the possible cases that bipolar can be overlooked since it has similar symptoms like other mental disorders, it is necessary to be knowledgeable enough with the disorder.  Bipolar disorder is a serious mental disorder since it is one of the reasons for people to commit suicide.  If diagnosed early and with proper management, bipolar has a good prognosis and can easily be treated. Bipolar in children or adolescent bipolar are serious matters that need to be addressed at an early stage.

Bipolar Children and Adolescent Bipolar Diagnosis

It is a hard thing to diagnose for sure. Often times bipolar disorder in children seems like ADHD, or normal active behavior for the child. Many times children go from depression to being manic and then to normal behavior very quickly, only taking a matter of days or weeks to transition.

Many times suicide can occur suddenly and with no previous warning.  This differs from older adult age people, who usually have long depressions and the suicide is often times premeditated. This fact makes it crucial that bipolar in children be properly diagnosed and the correct treatment given.

Bipolar in Children Symptoms

Often the symptoms of bipolar in children show up as mania.   This can be in the form of hallucinations (visual and auditory). It may appear to be hard to tell these from just a young child's ordinary imagination. The truth is that it really is at times.  Other times though the voices that are heard and the visions that are seen are much more terrifying or disturbing than a normal child without bipolar can possibly imagine.

Adolescent Bipolar Dangers

When it comes to adolescent bipolar, their symptoms are more towards what the adult's symptoms are. The big complication with teens is if they are using alcohol or drugs. This is often done to control the different moods that can happen with this disorder, adults and teens both do this self medicating. This is so dangerous because it can cover up the disorder's actual symptoms. Adolescent bipolar should always be suspected when they are using drugs.

When it comes to bipolar disorder in children, who are in their teenage years, it is harder than adults because the teens are still minors. These teens are often at odds with authority figures and they can be hard to get to conform to treatment options.

But there are a few methods for minimizing the confusion. Consulting with the teachers that the child has, gives the parent an idea of what goes on daily with the child. It also allows the parent to know how the child does away from home.

Consult a Doctor

Since many doctors out there disagree about bipolar in children, it is wise to get a second opinion. Once the second opinion has been received, a totally informed decision about treatment can be made and how to go forward with it. A second opinion helps clear things up in the event that one doctor can be wrong diagnosing bipolar in children. A guardian or parent should always closely listen to know if the doctor's decision sounds plausible. But it does fall to the parents to make the final decision. A wrong diagnosis leading to wrong treatment would be hard to think of, but in the event that bipolar disorder in children is the right diagnosis, it is advisable to accept it and go forward. It is always important to take care of bipolar children.

Bipolar Disorder in Children Treatment

Medication

Diagnosing bipolar in children enables treatment to be enacted early enough so that as adults they can lead normal lives. But the treatment for children with bipolar is very controversial. Many physicians prefer to use medication to begin with and then work therapy around the medications. But many doctors and parents do not agree with this approach.

The fact is that many parents notice that when their bipolar children are placed on medication,  the children's personality seems to be altered and lose some of the traits that are so familiar to the parents. Adults and children alike, who get unnecessarily medicated or over medicated lose themselves to a certain extent. Some of the medications can cause the children to be spaced out, very despondent, or out of it. This makes the doctors and parents very concerned, and makes them wonder if medication is the answer for children.

Bipolar in Children – Play Therapy

It has been proven that play therapy can be helpful with bipolar disorder in children. This also assists them to have a happier childhood. This type of therapy usually has the children placed in hypothetical scenarios that help them to learn how to figure out an emotionally healthy and logical solution. For some children this play therapy is quite successful, but for others it does not work. In particular cases of bipolar disorder in children, the symptoms and mood swings can be so severe as to make the child not capable of controlling their reactions emotionally or their actions to situations or other things that could stimulate them.

Bipolar in Children – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A pretty new kind of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy helps the patient learn what may trigger inappropriate behavior and mood swings, the alternative to this inappropriate type behavior, and also learning to recognize the symptoms to their disorder. With cognitive behavioral therapy, the patient is allowed to see if they can avoid having depressive or manic spells, and also how to control the spells better when they do have them. With adults, this option for treatment is very possible. It is successful in some cases without medication and does work well with medication.

This type of therapy though does call for critical thinking and problem solving skills at a level not usually present with children. So because of this, it is not normally used with children having bipolar disorder who are under a particular maturity or age level. Some do believe that if the cognitive behavioral therapy techniques were changed to accommodate children, they could be equally effective on the children. However, this would be a very difficult task to accomplish.

Involvement of Parents and Teachers of Bipolar Children

Treatment options should always be discussed with parents, medical professionals and teachers. Anyone who is involved with the children should be involved in the course of treatment for the maximum success. If the teacher or the parent has questions about the effects of the treatment for the bipolar disorder in children or students,  they should be asked in the beginning so that if the treatment needs to be altered it can be. Parents also should not be afraid of going to other doctors if they feel the treatment or medication is not working for their bipolar children.