Children With Bipolar Often Receive Diagnosis Late
Almost all of the children in the study had multiple disorders; the most common comorbid illness was ADHD. Many of them were first diagnosed either with one or more of those accompanying disorders or one or more (up to four) disorders later ruled out.
A 2005 study by the same researcher found that pediatric bipolar disorder was diagnosed far less in Europe than in the United States. Whether that tendency influenced the late diagnosis of the children in the study is yet to be determined.
Diagnosing bipolar disorder in children isn't the easiest thing in the world. The symptoms in children are not the same as in adults. In the United States, psychiatrists use specific standards from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to arrive at a diagnosis of any mental illness. The criteria used to diagnose a child are still being studied as our knowledge about pediatric bipolar disorder increases.
If you have a bipolar child, how long was it after his or her symptoms appeared that you finally got the diagnosis of bipolar disorder? Share your experience by leaving a comment below.
Source:
ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 24, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922100043.htm
Comments
my daughter first showed symptoms at 3 years old, with defiant behaviors, inability to sleep, violent behaviors. That episode subsided. Next was 7 years old, dx with adhd & odd. Adhd meds never really helped. At 10 & 1/2, she was put on an antidepressant for ocd, & within 6 months she was given the bp dx.
My beloved daughter started showing personality problems at age 3. After going to several doctors, including psychaiatrists i was continuously told, I was the problem. At age 12 she was put on Melaril. Because she has ocular albinisom and one of the side effects was visual disturbance, I eventually took her off. At age 21 within a few months of her father’s death she was sent to asylum and diagnosed as having bipolar I with accompanied schitzophrenia. In a few years after I was diagnosed with bipolar II. Later her younger sister was diagnosed with bipolar II. After that my youngest child was diagnosed with depression which later led to a diagnosis of bipolar. Thinking back I can say that my mother was probably bipolar. I thank God for the diagnosis because the meds work. But I wish like hell I could go back and undo years of pain. Today we are a loving family, but never would of been without knowledge of what bipolar illness can do to a person.
we were told at 2 april now 11 was ADHD, but could not be put on meds till she was 5. at 5 she was put on concerta that lasted 6 months. some where between 5 and 7 the docs added ODD and PTSD to the mix and at 7 i was told she was bi polar. it has been living hell. i still don’t think her meds are right. the doc we go to currenlty wanted her because she is an interesting case and now admits he don’t know how or what to do for her so i’m looking again for another doc. my husband was laid off and we lost our insurance and medicade really don’t offer any choices as to who you go to. so now i’m trying to get her into a doc that has been recommand 3 times to me who is susposed to be really good, but dosen’t take medicade. wish us luck!
I had my first bout of depression in Nov. 1960. I had been told had many different mental disorder for many years following. I had been hospitalized 5 different times for 120 days. Then on may 1986 I was told I was bipolar II and was started on a mood stabilizer (lithium). I still have many bout with depression but I have not been hospitalized since.
My daughter (who is an adult now) had symptoms when she was 3 also. She was defiant and had a lot of energy. She was diagnosed with A.D.H.D. several years later she was diagnosed as bipolar/mixed states. I also believe my granddaughter is bipolar too. She will be 3 next month.
Having attended the 8th Int’l conference on BiPD, I can tell you that the English are very procedural. Kids are not diagnosed with BiPD because they strictly go by the DSM IV. They are more likely to diagnose mood disorder NOS. However, even though the diagnosis may not quite be correct, the child gets better treatment because the healthcare system is better. We are overdiagnosing kids here in USA with BiPD, mainly because we do not have accurate criteria yet. When the DSM V comes out in 2012, perhaps we will.
My daughter started exhibiting symptoms around 4. No one would believe there was a problem at all until 3rd grade. Then she was diagnosed with ADHD. It took two more years until she was diagnosed as Bipolar.
Its a shame because she could have received treatment, and we would not have to live through the many rages, if she had been properly diagnosed earlier.
My daughter is 7 Yrs Old. I believe she has bipolar. I myself was diagnosed with bipolar two years ago after being diagnosed with depression and anxiety when i was 18. My daughter is showing symptoms already, irritability one minute loving and caring the next minute. accelerated learning but unruly and uncontrolable in class. constant talking, she literally talks herself to sleep at night and at a recent visit to the pediatrician she told her pediatrician she hears screaming in her head, which i am convinced is the “white noice” i hear at the end of the day in my head…a crowded roar. she has an appointment with a psychologist next month and i am anxious as to whether they will diagnose her correctly. i dont want her to suffer over the long years as i did being misdiagnosed.
I met with the psychiatrist at 5:30 am , the only time he had available in his day to convince him that my daughter was bi-polar at the age of 10. Unfortunately, even though he agreed, he prescribed Depakote, and forgot to have blood tests ordered. Our daughter ended up with a high temperature and nearly died. We discovered that she was allergic to Depakote and Remeron and she is now on Abilify, Scattera and Zoloft. Her anxiety is off the charts and it is difficult to treat because of the bi-polar. She is very violent at times and does not think anything is wrong with it and she is now 19. She has lost her 6 month old identical twins because she attacked me and continues to do so. I cannot in good conscience allow her to get the girls back if there is any chance she will hurt them. Does anyone have any suggestions on the anxiety or violence??? Thanks.
P.S. I am also bi-polar so it makes for an interesting household when she is here.
We first noticed that our daughter had high energy and overwhelmed every guest that walked in our front door at the age of 4. Age 5 during her Kindergarten year of school she had problems with the teacher. The teacher was a one way, my way Lutheran teacher. This led to frustration and behavior outbursts. This was the same year she complained about seeing objects upside down, in black and white and shadows. We went to our family doctor and to the eye doctor. Age 6 her first grade year. I was called by the school and told our daughter would be staying after school for her behavior. When I picked her up the teacher explained that the incident was just not her normal patterned behavior and that they needed extra additional staff to calm her down. She also used speech sayings that they would never had expected from her. We talked to her and we didn’t have another problem that year. Age 7- Our daughter had a very hard time keepng on track and the teacher noticed her turning red, tapping her feet, fiddling and a few other traits. She did mention ADD, I was just not convienced that our daughter had that. I was in the watch, wait and see approach. Summer 7 years old- WOW!!! All I can say! Our home was rocked to the core and will never be the same again. Our daughter went from this sweet girl to someone I didn’t have a clue about. Hyper, upset, irrational thoughts, black bird shadows following her, holes in doors, threats, yelling and everyone was walking on pins and needles. One night the behavior was out of control so much that my husband and I brought her while she was in the middle of the rage to the Pych center. Maybe one of the hardest things I had ever done in my life. Before taking her back for an assessment to just answer some basic questions she refused to go and was creating a scene. The people from the hospital had to restrain her while she was kicking, hitting and spiting on them. This was NOT my daughter! After her hospital stay, where I might add she was on her best behavior because they promise you get out sooner, she was placed on Seraquel (sp) and then we directed to go to counciling apts. They didn’t give her even a diagnose there, yet. Her first apts and homelife after hospitalization went nowhere and we then changed councilors. 2nd-councilor had so much difficultly with her. She would stand on her head in his chair, put her fingers in her ears and say I’m not listening, cry, scream, yell, turn his pictures upside down..just things to make me want to run and hide. After seeing him for a few weeks, he said I hate to admit defeat but I want you to see a Pych friend of mine that specializes in children with BiPolar. We did and thank God we did! This doctor and the (counciling) team in place have brought our family back to at least manageable. She is currently on Lithium, Lamictal, Rispdall and Busbar. Alot of meds, I know but we tried Abilify in the mix at one time too and it didn’t work. So, we took out Abilify and added Lithium. Her offical records from the pych doctor state Mood disorder NOS this is for insurance reasons I am told. However her counciling record is BiPolar 1 with OCD. After hearing and reading about bipolar I realized I had some of the traits. Mine didn’t follow her exact path though. After talking to the pych doctor I found out I have Bipolar 2. Let me tell you that I have not felt this great in years after getting on the correct meds. Lithium and Lamictal. It only took me 32 years, a good yearly cry, many irrational, body aches, years of rapid speech and thoughts to find out why I am so different from everyone else. Figured I’d share a small part of what our family went through and where we are today. It is NOT an easy battle with med changes and people around you, including your own family not understanding or trying to give you ideas on how to raise your child. A child they do NOT understand because they do not see alot of the behavior that goes on behind closed doors. Thanks for letting me share!
Our family, which includes a 12-year-old girl diagnosed with bipolar, has written and illustrated a 28-page children’s book to help siblings better understand the disorder. We have a publisher that is interested in the book, which targets elementary school age children, but we would like to get some feedback that we could use as well for blurbs/review lines, etc. I realize you likely get a number of requests along these lines, but is this something you think 1) has a potential audience; and 2) would be worth your taking a look at?
Thanks for any help you can provide.