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Bipolar Mania in Children

According to the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, when a parent has bipolar disorder, the risk of her child having it also is 15 percent to 30 percent. If both parents have bipolar disorder, the risk is 50 percent to 75 percent. The risk for siblings or fraternal twins of a child who has bipolar disorder is 15 percent to 25 percent but increases to approximately 85 percent if twins are identical.

  1. Features

    • Bipolar mania in children is a genetic condition that is characterized by euphoria and racing thoughts that quickly turn into irritability when demands are not met. The child is easily distracted and might experience a decreased need for sleep with no daytime fatigue. He might begin engaging in risky activities, exhibit poor judgment and suffer from hallucinations or psychosis.

    Treatment

    • There is no cure yet for bipolar mania in children, but the symptoms might be controlled and often alleviated for extended periods, allowing the child to assume normal activities. Because no one medication works for all children, several medications are usually prescribed alone or in combinations until a proper course is discovered. Psychotherapy might also be helpful in treating the disorder.

    Significance

    • When children develop bipolar mania, it is called early onset and is often more severe than if the condition develops during the teen years or later. The cycle of mania and depression is much shorter in children and might occur more frequently than in adults.

    Considerations

    • Bipolar mania in children is often accompanied by symptoms of other disorders. Conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and reactive attachment disorder are a few of the psychiatric disorders that have symptoms that can mimic or occur in conjunction with bipolar mania. This makes an accurate diagnosis of bipolar mania more difficult.

    Effect

    • Caring for a child with bipolar mania is stressful for everyone in the family. Learn all you can about the condition and hope to cope with it by reading about the disorder, joining support groups and talking to other parents. Talk to your child, too, so she doesn't feel resentful as she gets older.

    Warning

    • Even young children with bipolar mania might become suicidal. If your child expresses any thoughts of suicide, or engages in any type of life-threatening behavior, seek help immediately.

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