Bipolar Symptoms, Disorder Cause, Diagnosis, Treatment

Bipolar disorder in children is more common than people think it is.  Do you know what Bipolar in children and teens is? It is not known for kids under 6 to get this disease but for kids that are older than 6 or teens that have this disorder, they will experience mood swings with ups and downs that are extreme.

When they are having an up period they will have brief, intense outbursts or they will feel irritable, mania, a couple of different times a day every day. When they are in a down period they will feel sad and depressed. Experts in the past thought that the Bipolar disorder was the same for kids and adults. However, due to recent studies the Bipolar children have different symptoms than adults do and therefore they have to have a different Bipolar treatment.

What are the causes of Bipolar disorder? There is no one known cause for this disorder. It is known to run in families but when you have a history of childhood Bipolar or your spouse has a family history of this illness then your child is at greater risk of getting it. It can come from parents, grandparents, brothers or a sister.

You need to be able to recognize a Bipolar symptom in your kids so that you can get them Bipolar help if they should need it. Children with Bipolar disorder will experience quick mood changes and they will range from one extreme to another and there will be no apparent reason for it. Some kids can briefly return to a more normal mood between extremes. There are many kids that will alternate continuously between mania and depression and sometimes it will happen several times a day. You can even find kids that will have a combination of symptoms of both mania and depression. Episodes of mania or depression will not be as obvious in children and teens as it is in adults.

Here are some of the symptoms you have to know about if you have a kid who has this disease so that you can help them.

• They will feel irritable and will often throw violent temper tantrums.
• Kids with this disease will often touch their genitals, use sexual language and have even been known to approach other kids in a sexual way.
• They will have problems sleeping at night and will often be found roaming the house at night looking for something to do.
• Depression and Bipolar go hand in hand for a lot of kids. When they are depressed they can feel empty, sad, bored or just plain down in the dumps.
• They can experience headaches, muscle aches, stomach aches or fatigue.
• It is easy for kids who have Bipolar to want to stay alone because they will often feel easily rejected or criticized.

Here is how the Bipolar disease can be treated but not cured. Dealing with a child or teen that has this illness can be very challenging. However, with the right treatment, which can include Bipolar medications and even Bipolar disorder therapy. The medicine will help to stabilize their moods and the therapy will help them deal with a problem that they will have for life.

You as their parent need to make sure that they take their medicine for Bipolar when they need to. Children and teens who have this problem are known for not taking their medicines when they feel like they are acting and feeling like normal. However, it is very important that they continue their medicine because if they stop taking it their symptoms of Bipolar disorder will come back.

Accepting that you have a child with this disorder can be hard to deal with. This problem will be lifelong and it definitely can be serious. Your kid will need to have treatment long term and will need to be watched carefully. You can work with your child’s doctor and find the Bipolar treatment that will work best for your kid.