| Many children and especially adolescents
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| | Depressive Symptoms
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| experience mood swings as a normal part
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| | - Frequent sadness or crying.
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| of growing up, but when these feelings
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| | - Withdrawal from friends and activities.
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| persist and begin to interfere with a
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| | - Decreased energy level, lack of
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| child's ability to function in daily
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| | enthusiasm or motivation.
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| life, bipolar disorder could be the
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| | - Feelings of worthlessness or excessive
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| cause. Bipolar disorder, also known as
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| | guilt.
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| manic-depression, is a type of mood
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| | - Extreme sensitivity to rejection or
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| disorder marked by extreme changes in
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| | failure.
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| mood, energy levels and behavior.
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| | - Major changes in habits such as
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| Symptoms can begin in early childhood but
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| | over-sleeping or over-eating.
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| more typically emerge in adolescence or
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| | - Frequent physical complaints such as
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| adulthood. Until recently, young people
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| | headaches and stomachaches.
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| were rarely diagnosed with this disorder.
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| | - Recurring thoughts of death, suicide,
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| Yet up to one-third of the 3.4 million
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| | or self-destructive behavior.
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| children and adolescents with depression
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| | Many teens with bipolar disorder abuse
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| in the United States may actually be
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| | alcohol and drugs as a way to feel better
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| experiencing the early onset of bipolar
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| | and escape. Any child or adolescent who
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| disorder according to the American
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| | abuses substances should be evaluated for
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| Academy of Child and Adolescent
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| | a mental health disorder. If an
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| Psychiatry. Doctors now recognize and
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| | addiction develops, it is essential to
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| treat the disorder in both children and
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| | treat both the mental health disorder and
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| adolescents, but it is still an
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| | the substance abuse problem at the same
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| under-recognized illness.
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| | time.
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| Children with bipolar disorder usually
| |
| | What Should Parents and Caregivers Do?
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| alternate rapidly between extremely high
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| | Early identification, diagnosis, and
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| moods (mania) and low moods (depression).
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| | treatment help children reach their full
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| These rapid mood shifts can produce
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| | potential. Bipolar disorder is
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| irritability with periods of wellness
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| | treatable. Children who exhibit signs of
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| between episodes, or the young person may
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| | bipolar disorder should be referred to
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| feel both extremes at the same time.
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| | and evaluated by a mental health
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| Parents who have children with the
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| | professional who specializes in treating
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| disorder often describe them as
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| | children. The evaluation may include
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| unpredictable, alternating between
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| | consultation with a child psychiatrist,
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| aggressive or silly and withdrawn.
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| | psychological testing, and medical tests
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| Children with bipolar disorder are at a
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| | to rule out an underlying physical
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| greater risk for anxiety disorders and
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| | condition that might explain the child's
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| Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
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| | symptoms. A comprehensive treatment plan
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| (ADHD). These "co-occurring" disorders
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| | should include psychotherapy and, in most
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| complicate diagnosis of bipolar disorder
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| | cases, medication. This plan should be
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| and contribute to the lack of recognition
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| | developed with the family, and, whenever
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| of the illness in children
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| | possible, the child should be involved in
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| What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
| |
| | making treatment decisions.
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| Bipolar disorder begins with either manic
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| | Children's mental health matters! To
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| or depressive symptoms. The lists below
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| | learn more, talk to a doctor or mental
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| provide possible signs and symptoms. Not
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| | health professional, contact your local
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| all children with bipolar disorder have
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| | Mental Health Association or access the
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| all symptoms. Like children with
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| | resources below:
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| depression, children with bipolar
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| | National Mental Health Association,
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| disorder are likely to have a family
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| | 800-969-NMHA,
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| history of the illness. If a child you
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| | American Academy of Child and Adolescent
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| know is struggling with any combination
| |
| | Psychiatry,
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| of these symptoms for more than two
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| | American Psychiatric Association,
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| weeks, talk with a doctor or mental
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| | 888-357-7924,
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| health professional.
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| | American Psychological Association,
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| Manic Symptoms
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| | 800-964-2000,
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| - Severe changes in mood-from unusually
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| | Children and Adults with Attention
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| happy or silly to irritable, angry or
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| | Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,
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| aggressive.
| |
| | 800-233-4050,
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| - Unrealistic highs in self-esteem. May
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| | Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation,
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| feel indestructible or believe he or she
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| | 847-256-8525,
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| can fly, for example.
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| | Federation of Families for Children's
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| - Great increase in energy level. Sleeps
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| | Mental Health, 703-684-7710,
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| little without being tired.
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| | Knowledge Exchange Network, 800-789-2647,
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| - Excessive involvement in multiple
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| |
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| projects and activities. May move from
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| | National Association of School
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| one thing to the next and become easily
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| | Psychologists, 301-657-0270,
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| distracted.
| |
| | Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance,
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| - Increase in talking. Talks too much,
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| | 800-826-3632,
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| too fast, changes topics too quickly, and
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| | Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike
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| cannot be interrupted. This may be
| |
| | Litman Show! THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN
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| accompanied by racing thoughts or feeling
| |
| | TODAY!
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| pressure to keep talking.
| |
| | With Much Love,
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| - Risk-taking behavior such as abusing
| |
| | Arthur Buchanan
|
| drugs and alcohol, attempting daredevil
| |
| | President/CEO
|
| stunts, or being sexually active or
| |
| | Out of Darkness & Into the Light
|
| having unprotected sex.
| |
| | 43 Oakwood Ave.
|
