Bipolar In Children
How To Detect Bipolar In Children
Until recently, not a great deal of research was directed toward the issue of bipolar in children. Most believed that bipolar disorder was essentially an adult-only illness. A large percentage of those experiencing the illness appear to have contracted it in late adolescence, or early adulthood. Not too much thought was given to the possibility of very young people having the disease.
Bipolar disorder is a disease that is treatable, however it is not curable. The symptoms, consisting of mood swings between highs and lows, or mania and depression, are often mild in the beginning, but as time goes by, may become more frequent and more severe. It is a life-long disease, and therefore all the more important to catch in its earliest occurrences.
The causes of bipolar in children are not well known, however that is the case with adults as well. It is believed that there can often be a genetic connection. If one of a child's parents has the disease, the child is, statistically, more apt to come down with the illness. The problem is however, that bipolar disorder is usually more difficult to detect in children than in adults.
If your neighbor or a co-worker without warning had an episode of rage, and a few minutes later settled down, and seemed quite happy with the world, you'd probably suspect you'd witnessed an episode of bipolar disorder. When a two year old throws a temper tantrum, and a few minutes later, is smiling and happy, whether he got what he wanted or not, we think nothing of it. We believe he'll eventually (hopefully soon) outgrow the behavior. The problem then, is distinguishing between normal, at times even abnormal behavior in children, and behavior arising from a bipolar disorder.
A clue to the presence of bipolar in children therefore is a pattern of repeated or cyclical mood swings, not just occasional occurrences. Occasional episodes of a symptom of mania, or a symptom of depression, may have an illness other than bipolar at the source. If there is a suspicion of bipolar symptoms, it should be brought to the immediate attention of a professional.
While bipolar in children has been diagnosed at ages as early as six, it occurs mainly in those in their late teens. It's estimated that between 125,000 and 150,000 young people may suffer from the disorder at any one time. Teens do appear to have a tough time of it on occasion, or at least many of them think they do. There are all sorts of behavioral triggers, from peer pressure to worries about studies, but there are of course good times as well. One key to diagnosing bipolar disorder in teens is an episode of grandiose behavior. That, and/or mood swings, indicates a need to monitor behavior, and look for specific symptoms of bipolar.
Manic symptoms include hyperactivity, periods of high energy, lack of concentration, and in the extreme, episodes of fantasy, substituting for real life. Depressive symptoms include, but are not limited to, sadness and depression, loss of interest in everyday activities, and fatigue.
Teens may be difficult to approach, denial being very much a symptom of the disease. Intervention and support by family and friends can play an important role in treatment. The services of a professional are a must, to enable a child or teen to deal with the disease, as he or she approaches adult life.