The Bipolar Child (Third Edition): The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder

You need the diagnosis because it explains so much of the emotional and behavioral experiences of the child, and it guides the appropriate treatment and helps avoid the use of medications that could worsen the course of the illness. An accurate and early diagnosis allows the family to develop plans for the future, to make better decisions, and to o

am so grateful for what has happened. I will take it as it comes and not dare hope that this will last a lifetime. But I now have hope and I now have proof that I have a wonderful child who was trapped in a prison of her illness. Seeing her like this makes it all worthwhile, and I am so thankful that we never gave up as we were tempted to so many t

In other words, bipolar disorder should be ruled out before any of the stimulant drugs or antidepressants are prescribed. Instead, mood-stabilizing drugs such as lithium, Depakote, or Tegretol should be considered as a first line of treatment—early on—before episodes become more frequent, and the illness warps the psychological development of a chi

Because the mood shifts are so rapid, it is easy to see how children may become trapped in the switch process between depression and mania and develop what is called a mixed state. Their internal experience is one of marked agitation, anxiety, high energy, and constant restlessness. At the same time they feel worthless and self-destructive. While m

The mood and behavior of a child who is becoming manic tends to be labile—it shifts dramatically and often. One day can be fairly uneventful; the next day hospitalization may seem imminent as psychotic symptoms appear and violent outbursts occur. This can be very confusing for the family members (and the child), who never know what to expect or how

After listening carefully to Demitri’s discussion of the illness, they said that their son fit the clinical description “to a T.”

Childhood is such a fleeting time and so much must be consolidated within a growing person: ego development, social and academic skills, biological and psychological maturation…. Every day counts. There is no time to waste.

But let us say this very clearly: There are serious risks to delaying diagnosis and treatment. We can’t quite imagine what it must be like for a child to experience overwhelming and almost atomic rage several times a day triggered by a simple “no” from a parent or even by the loud chewing of a sibling at a dinner table. We can only guess how a chil

Many children like William are profoundly affected by the difficulty they have in modulating aggressive impulses, and this intense fearfulness can come to dominate their inner world. They tend to attribute negative meaning to events and perceive others as threatening, hostile, or judgmental, which may not be the case at all. These youngsters may be