Bipolar disorder in children

[onlyzombiecat]

What does bipolar disorder in a child look like? Any recommended articles or books on the topic?

If you thought your child might be bipolar who would you talk to about it? What kind of treatments are there for children? What kind of support is there for parents?

[momdzn]

Hey, they look like a normal child.
Sorry, I am trying to find resources myself. I believe my 7 yo dd has this issue. I am currently searching in the internet and talking to my sister. She has a 13 yo dd who has been diagnosed. Was on meds until the bio-father took custody, he does not feel she needs them.
Do you have a child you suspect has this issue?

[onlyzombiecat]

Thanks for the reply.
I wasn't trying to say that bipolar kids look different from other kids but wondering how bipolar disorder in children might look different from bipolar in adults. Just wanted to clarify that.
I am wondering if my dd might have it. She will be 7 in March.
She has really intense mood swings. She goes from intensely cheerful to raging and back very quickly.
Every month we go through a cycle of her not sleeping at night.
In dh's family there is quite a history of substance abuse and depression. Nothing diagnosed in my family as far as I know.

How is your sister's dd doing without meds?

[momdzn]

I know you didn't mean they look different. But there is a difference between "early onset", teenage, and adult.
When researching look for "early onset". My dd hasn't been diagnosed. And we have just had one of the worst days yet. I am still learning and having to educate myself, dh and her older siblings. I am exhausted.
As for my niece, not well at all. She is allowed to do what she wants with her father. And he is a less than desirable parent model (possibly human model).
Search the word bipolar on the boards and there is a thread, that there is 2 experienced ladies.

[onlyzombiecat]

Thanks for the search tip.

I found a few sites so far.
http://www.therapeutichomeschooling.org/bipolar.htm
http://www.bpinfo.net/
http://www.bpkids.org/site/PageServe...name=lrn_about

[candipooh]

s My sister has two children that are bipolar. One is so extreme that he is in an institution(not for good I hope!). He is 10. His sister is living at home and on meds. She is 12. It has been a very hard raod for my sister.

I will ask her about books, and info when I talk to her enxt time.

[onlyzombiecat]

candipooh- What ages were your nephew and niece diagnosed?

[candipooh]

Originally Posted by onlyzombiecat

candipooh- What ages were your nephew and niece diagnosed?

I am not for sure but I am going to say 8 and 10 years old. Both of them have had problems ever since they were little. You could tell even when they were as young as 2 and 3 that something wasn't right. But Bipolar didn't get talked about until a little over a year ago. Their bio dad was bipolar.

[onlyzombiecat]

I have trouble deciding if it is just dd's age or not. She has always been challenging for us but it seems worse lately.

[mamakimber]

Hiya Zombie-
You should ask Sully- her ds was diagnosed with BP awhile ago.

Good books are:
the bipolar child
the explosive child
driven to distraction
raising a sensory smart child

It's good to see you- I am sorry you are dealing with this.
xo

[DragonflyBlue]

I'm a parent to two kids with BP. I also have BP.

I second the book The Bipolar Child and the site bpkids.org. Both are excellent resources.

I'd also get your d in for an evaluation with a PD who specializes in kids. It helps to have a pyschitrist who can relate to the kids on their level.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Janis

[joodgy]

one with hopefully 3 w/o

Be very carefull when talking to a Ped. about this isue. Too frequently there are ignorant Dr. who know nothing or even worse believe it is not possible for children to have Bipolar. I went through a month of ignorant hell when my first Ped. put my son on stimulants to curb his agressive tendancies.

Now that my husband and his father have been diagnosed with the disorder it is easier to comunicate to others exactly why my son acts that way and what to do about it.

I really think that it is something that ought not be kept a secret. (just me maybe) Most people that I let know about it are accepting and helpful. We live in an enlighted (at least some of the time) age.

What helps me is to remember that it is the disorder and not the person who is acting out in that way.

Question:
I was wondering if anyone knew of a natural mood stabilizer. Meds are too expensive and dangerous.

In my child it looks like this. One minute he tells me he loves me and five minutes later when he has not been given the privilage he wants yells that he hates me. But it is more than that. He is agressive in play--more than that his emotions are on hyperdrive all the time. His sensitivity level to any offront (real or imagined) is extreme. He believes in black and white right and wrong. There are no shades of gray for him. I have somewhat been able to learn when a meltdown is coming and head it off. My child is probably dif. from yours. There are as many degrees and variations of bipolar disorder as there are of Autism. The best mesure would be to look at family tree and find out if anyone in family has had same symptoms. This can be dificult. Just remember you are the only one who can or will fight for your child.