Bipolar Disorder in Kids

Bipolar disorder may be also be referred to as manic-depression, which is a disorder characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania. It can be serious if left untreated. Bipolar disorder may begin in infancy or very early childhood, but it may also begin suddenly during adolescence. Bipolar disorder is not usually diagnosed until the late adolescent years, but parents of children with bipolar disorder can sometimes identify past bipolar characteristics during the child's infancy and childhood. According to the Mayo Clinic, bipolar disorder affects about 1 percent of the adolescent population.

Mood Changes

• Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood changes. Children with bipolar disorder will experience rotating periods of depression and mania. During depression episodes, children may feel extremely sad, irritable and may have very little energy. During the manic episodes, children may feel agitation, elation and have excessive energy. Adults with bipolar disorder typically have episodes of mania that last for weeks or months at a time; however, children are more likely to cycle rapidly between depression and mania. In fact, children may go from a state of depression to a state of mania every few hours or days in very severe cases.

Other Symptoms Onset

• According to Bipolar Kids Organization, children with bipolar disorder may display explosive and destructive rage with little or no provocation. These children may be defiant and they may also experience extreme separation anxiety. Children with bipolar disorder also either may not sleep enough or sleep too much. Some may have problems with nightmares and bed wetting. These children may be impulsive and have difficulty paying attention. Some may even experience hallucinations or delusions.

Types

• Bipolar disorder falls into four categories. Bipolar I is the most commonly diagnosed form bipolar disorder. It is characterized by cyclic episodes of depression and mania. Bipolar II is characterized by hypomania episodes with depression episodes in between. According the Mayo Clinic, hypomania is not a full-blown manic episode, but is rather a period of moderate mania that cycles with depressive episodes. The Mayo Clinic explains that cyclothymia is less severe form of bipolar disorder characterized by mood swings. Individuals with cyclothymia still cycle between moderate manic and depressive episodes, but these episodes are less severe than those in bipolar disorder and last for shorter durations. Finally, bipolar disorder NOS (not otherwise specified) is a category used for those children who do not fit in one of the aforementioned categories or those who are just beginning to show some bipolar symptoms.

Onset

• Parents of children with bipolar disorder sometimes recall that as infants their children had difficulties settling down and sleeping. They also might be extremely clingy and have terrible tantrums. Bipolar disorder may initially manifest in children as depression only. However, as they get older the condition may progress into bipolar disorder and manic episodes will occur. In some cases, a traumatic event may trigger the beginning of mania episodes.

Treatment

• Bipolar disorder is lifelong condition and requires consistent treatment. Treatment usually involves medications to stabilize mood, counseling, psychotheraphy and healthy lifestyle choices. Healthy lifestyles choices include eating a nutritious diet and getting adequate amounts of exercise. Also, children with bipolar disorder should be educated about the dangers of illegal drug use in case they might consider using illicit drugs to self-medicate. Treatment is most successful when the whole family is involved with the treatment plan and when the entire family attends therapy session.

Misdiagnosis and Comorbidity

• According to the Bipolar Kids Organization, bipolar disorder may be misdiagnosed as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. In some cases bipolar disorder and ADHD may also occur together, making them comorbid conditions. Other conditions that may either be wrongly diagnosed for bipolar disorder or appear along with bipolar disorder are the following: conduct disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette's syndrome and reactive attachment disorder. Also, sometimes bipolar disorder may be misdiagnosed for schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder.