Amber MoQuin

Argosy University

Katina Clarke

The objective of this paper is to help open everyone’s eyes with the growing number of children who are born with this illness and how to properly diagnose and treat this disorder.

This paper will help describe the difference between bipolar disorder and other behavioral problems that are common in school age children.

This topic is close to me because my sister was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her first year of high school.

Bipolar disorder was considered to be a myth in children, but researchers and doctors have noticed a rise in the number of children who have this illness.

The symptoms of bipolar disorder are the same as ADHD so it is harder to diagnose.

Children with bipolar disorder cannot take the same medications as adults who are treated for the same disorder.

Two children diagnosed with bipolar disorder may not have the same symptoms.

Critics seem to think that the rise in numbers of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder is due unnecessary medicating by doctors.

The FDA is constantly coming out with new medications for bipolar disorder and researchers seem to think they are pushing doctors to prescribe these new medications.

Children may be misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, but may already have a behavioral disorder with the same symptoms.

Mood stabilizers seem to work well for children with bipolar disorder.

After taking a drug called divalproex, more than three-quarters of the at-risk kids showed an improvement in their mood or behavioral disorders.

After 12 weeks, 78% were very much improved in their mood or behavioral disorders and 82% showed at least a 50% decrease in their ratings of depressive or manic symptoms, they even reacted positively to the medication in as little as one week after treatment (Chang, 2004).

This drug is better for children because the medication that adults use to treat bipolar disorder is not effective for children and may cause an early onset of manic episodes.

The treatment options for children still remain a mystery, but mood stabilizers remain the most commonly used drug for children.

There was a study done on 115 children ages 7 to 16 that were diagnosed with type 1 bipolar disorder, between 1995 and 1998. A follow-up was done in 2008, where 44% of patients, who reached age 18, continue to experience manic episodes into adulthood, while 35% develop substance abuse disorders (Geller, 2008). At the beginning of the study, 79% of children were experiencing daily mood cycling, and after reaching age 18, 67% continued to do so.

Some children who have parents with bipolar disorder who did not show any symptoms of having the disorder themselves.

There is still some argument over whether or not bipolar disorder in children can be identified properly.

The main problem is that children are being misdiagnosed by doctors and put on medication that they don’t really need.

There are a number of children who have ADHD as well as other types of behavioral problems and this makes diagnosing them with bipolar disorder much more challenging due to the fact that many of the symptoms of behavioral disorders are the same as bipolar disorder.

Geller, B. (2009). When children with bipolar disorder grow up. Harvard Mental Health Letter. Vol. 25 Issue 8, p6-6,1p.

Chang, K. (2004). Bipolar Kids Respond to Mood Stabilizers. USA Today Magazine. Vol. 132 Issue 2705, p8-9, 2p.

Artman, T. (2007). Controversy heats up over children with bipolar disorder. Getting Paid in Behavioral Healthcare. Vol.12 Issue 10, p2-3, 2p.

Grof, P. (2010). Investigating Children at High Risk for Bipolar and Psychotic Disorders: Findings and Implications. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Vol. 55 Issue 8; p 475, 2p.