Bipolar disorder is being diagnosed in more and more children. Here is a link to more information about this disorder:
http://www.bpkids.org/site/PageServe...name=lrn_about
The symptoms vary some from adult bipolar. Here is a glimpse of some of the information on the site:
What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder in adolescents?
In adolescents, bipolar disorder may resemble any of the following classical adult presentations of the illness.
Bipolar I. In this form of the disorder, the adolescent experiences alternating episodes of intense and sometimes psychotic mania and depression.
Symptoms of
mania include:
- elevated, expansive or irritable mood
- decreased need for sleep
- racing speech and pressure to keep talking
- grandiose delusions
- excessive involvement in pleasurable but risky activities
- increased physical and mental activity
- poor judgment
- in severe cases, hallucinations
Symptoms of
depression include:
- pervasive sadness and crying spells
- sleeping too much or inability to sleep
- agitation and irritability
- withdrawal from activities formerly enjoyed
- drop in grades and inability to concentrate
- thoughts of death and suicide
- low energy
- significant change in appetite
Periods of relative or complete wellness occur between the episodes.
- Bipolar II. In this form of the disorder, the adolescent experiences episodes of hypomania between recurrent periods of depression. Hypomania is a markedly elevated or irritable mood accompanied by increased physical and mental energy. Hypomania can be a time of great creativity.
- Cyclothymia. Adolescents with this form of the disorder experience periods of less severe, but definite, mood swings.
- Bipolar Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified). Doctors make this diagnosis when it is not clear which type of bipolar disorder is emerging.
Please check out the site for more information.
Childhood Bipolar
Linear Mode
