What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Infants?

Bipolar disorder was previously considered a mental health disorder that primarily affected adults. However, in recent years, the number of juveniles and infants diagnosed with the disorder has risen. Bipolar disorder is characterized by erratic mood swings, from elevated energy levels, or mania, to depression. The signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder in an infant are sometimes difficult to diagnose because there is no established baseline for the infant's behavior for comparison.

Sleep Disturbances

• Infants with bipolar disorder often have difficulty sleeping. Though this is also a symptom of many other problems common in infants, such as teething, an infant who is experiencing extreme difficulty becoming settled and/or sleeping, with no other apparent causes, should be seen by a pediatrician.

Separation Anxiety

• Because of the erratic nature of bipolar disorder, one of the symptoms in infants is extreme separation anxiety. An infant with bipolar disorder may exhibit an unusually strong reaction to being left unattended for even the briefest time.

Mood Changes

• One of the signs of bipolar disorder in an infant is the presence of severe mood swings. This can take the form of incessant crying for no apparent reason. The infant may become extremely agitated from one moment to the next without motive and may stop without any additional stimulation or action by the parent.