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Is it Possible for a Toddler to Be Bipolar?

While toddlers can have bipolar disorder, the symptoms manifest in ways that can be easily misdiagnosed as a conduct or behavior problem. Outbursts are common, and continual disruptions in the daily activities of the toddler are common symptoms of a toddler with bipolar disorder.

  1. Identification

    • Children, including toddlers, can have bipolar disorder. One percent of total populations of both children and adults have bipolar disorder, according to Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Daniel K. Hall.

    Features

    • Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings. These mood swings manifest in depressive episodes and energetic periods known as manic episodes.

    Effects

    • During periods of depression, the child will be characteristically sad and uninterested in their usual favorite activities. During manic mood swings, the toddler's symptoms may include agitation, extreme silly or petulant behavior, temperamental outbursts and belief that she has special abilities.

    Considerations

    • Children with a family history of bipolar disorder are more likely to have the condition. For children, mood swings may change multiple times throughout the day.

    Misconceptions

    • Due to the nature of the mood swings and the prevailing belief that bipolar disorder is an adult disorder, children with the condition run the risk of being misdiagnosed. A common misdiagnosis is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Diagnosis and Treatment

    • Diagnosing bipolar disorder in toddlers can be challenging not only because of the frequent misdiagnoses of ADHD, but because the tool used for diagnosis, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV), focuses exclusively on diagnosis adult symptoms and was published in 1994. According to the DSM-IV, the same symptoms used to diagnose adult-onset bipolar must be present. But many child psychiatrists also factor in the presence of additional symptoms not traditionally present in adults, such as the rapid cycling between moods. Treatment for toddlers is medication, based on the child's symptoms and the presence or lack of other medical conditions. As the toddler ages, non-pharmaceutical alternatives, such as psychotherapy, may be available.

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