WEB MD article on childhood onset bipolar disorder pt one

The following is a copy of an excellent WEB MD article on bipolar disorder diagnosis in children.When people ask me about childhood onset bipolar disorder,I always have the same answer:I believe that what we call bipolar disorder in children is VERY different than what we consider bipolar disorder in adults.

One of the main differences is the level of anger,irritation,tolerance levels and duration of screaming,crying,and out of control mood swings. Another very imporant distinction is the ADHD behavior of these kids. They have more of the hyperactivity part of the ADHD than adults who are usually diagnosed with ADD.My heart goes out to these kids as I know they have a lot of troubling symptoms,but like many people in this industry- I question these bipolar disorder diagnoses.

This is a looonnnggg article- which is why I’ve put it in two posts,but the information is extremely helpful. It’s [ Read More ]





WEB MD article on childhood onset bipolar disorder pt two

Here is the continuation of the excellent WebMD article on childhood onset bipolar disorder. …

Definition of Childhood Bipolar Disorder Controversial

What,exactly,is childhood bipolar disorder? It’s controversial. Bipolar disorder used to be called manic depression because it is characterized by bouts of depression and bouts of mania.

Mania in adults is characterized by euphoria,grandiosity,irritability,racing thoughts,and frenetic activity. While some experts argue that childhood mania must also exhibit signs of euphoria and grandiose behavior,others say irritability may be the only sign.

“In children,the symptoms of bipolar disorder are very different from the symptoms in adults,”Julio Licinio,MD,chairman of the department of psychiatry at the University of Miami,tells WebMD.

In January 2007,the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) set out a “practice parameter”acknowledging the controversy. The AACAP’s expert panel noted that for both children and adults,doctors are much more often diagnosing [ Read More ]