Childhood-Onset Bipolar Disorder
Cheryl Bowman
- Published Content: 43
- Total Views: 12,964
- Favorited By: 20 CPs
Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic-depression, is a brain disorder. It is serious, but treatable. Bipolar disorder presents as changes in mood, thinking, energy and behavior. Anyone can su 
ffer from this disorder, even babies. It is not yet known how common childhood-onset bipolar disorder is as there are little to no epidemiological studies. According to bpkids.org, childhood-onset bipolar disorder affects one to two percent of adults worldwide, and that it seems to be becoming more common in children.
While a number of children in the United States are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), it is thought that they may possibly have childhood-onset bipolar disorder. Depression in children seems to be chronic and relapsing. While these children have not experienced the manic phase of the illness, it is thought this depression may be early stages of childhood-onset bipolar disorder.
Parents have reported certain behaviors in children diagnosed with childhood-onset bipolar disorder such as:
1. Irritable moods
2. Lack of interest in playing with toys or friends
3. Extreme sadness
4. Moods that change rapidly and lasting a few hours or even a few days
5. Separation anxiety
6. Rages that are explosive, long and often destructive
7. Defiance of authority
8. Hyperactivity
9. Distractibility
10. Sleeping too little or too much
11. Night terrors
12. Bed wetting
13. Cravings for sweets and carbohydrates
14. Excessive multitasking
15. Impulsive thoughts
16. Dangerous and daring behaviors, such as jumping off roofs or out of moving cars
17. Hallucinations
18. Belief in their own abilities that they can do the impossible (such as having the ability to fly)
Diagnosing childhood-onset bipolar disorder is a bit different than diagnosing a bipolar disorder in adults because children are usually in a mood that is a combination of mania and depression. Between episodes, it looks like children are completely well.
Diagnosis can now be made using DSM-IV criteria. There is no lower age limit for this test, but it is harder to apply the DSM-IV criteria to very young children.
While a number of children in the United States are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), it is thought that they may possibly have childhood-onset bipolar disorder. Depression in children seems to be chronic and relapsing. While these children have not experienced the manic phase of the illness, it is thought this depression may be early stages of childhood-onset bipolar disorder.
Parents have reported certain behaviors in children diagnosed with childhood-onset bipolar disorder such as:
1. Irritable moods
2. Lack of interest in playing with toys or friends
3. Extreme sadness
4. Moods that change rapidly and lasting a few hours or even a few days
5. Separation anxiety
6. Rages that are explosive, long and often destructive
7. Defiance of authority
8. Hyperactivity
9. Distractibility
10. Sleeping too little or too much
11. Night terrors
12. Bed wetting
13. Cravings for sweets and carbohydrates
14. Excessive multitasking
15. Impulsive thoughts
16. Dangerous and daring behaviors, such as jumping off roofs or out of moving cars
17. Hallucinations
18. Belief in their own abilities that they can do the impossible (such as having the ability to fly)
Diagnosing childhood-onset bipolar disorder is a bit different than diagnosing a bipolar disorder in adults because children are usually in a mood that is a combination of mania and depression. Between episodes, it looks like children are completely well.
Diagnosis can now be made using DSM-IV criteria. There is no lower age limit for this test, but it is harder to apply the DSM-IV criteria to very young children.