All parents can relate to the many changes their kids go through as they grow up. But sometimes it's hard to tell if a child is just going through a "phase," or showing signs of something more serious. In the last decade, the number of children receiving the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, sometimes, called manic-depressive illness, has grown substantially. But what does the diagnosis really mean for a child? This booklet discusses bipolar disorder in children and teens. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels. It can also make it hard to carry out day-to-day tasks, such as going to school or hanging out with friends. Symptoms of bipolar disorder can be severe. They are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through from time to time. Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor school perfor¬mance, and even suicide. But bipolar disorder can be treated, and many people with this illness can lead full and productive lives. Symptoms of bipolar disorder often develop in the late teens or early adult years, but some people have their first symptoms during childhood. At least half of all cases start before age 25. Bipolar disorder tends to run in families. Children with a parent or sibling who has bipolar disorder are up to six times more likely to develop the illness, compared with children who do not have a family history of bipolar disorder. However, most children with a family history of bipolar disorder will not develop the illness. Currently, there is no cure for bipolar disorder. However, treatment with medications, psychotherapy, or both may help people recover from their episodes, and may help to prevent future episodes.

Recent advances in evidence-based treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder are comprehensively reviewed in this authoritative volume. The prominent editors and contributors examine the current status of widely used medications and psychosocial therapies, and explore new horizons in tailoring treatment to individuals' neurobiological and clinical profiles. Chapters on specific populations discuss strategies for addressing common co-occurring disorders in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder, treating preschoolers, targeting depressive symptoms, and improving early intervention and prevention. Other essential topics include medication side effects and approaches to monitoring and ameliorating them, and ethical issues related to treatment and research.

'Bipolar Disorder in Youth' provides a timely, focused review of the diagnosis, treatment, and neurobiology of bipolar disorder in youth. The editors and authors of each chapter represent international leaders in the care and study of this population. This book is the most comprehensive volume available discussing this important population and is a 'must' for the libraries of clinicians and scientists working with bipolar children and adolescents.

All parents can relate to the many changes their kids go through as they grow up. But sometimes it's hard to tell if a child is just going through a "phase," or showing signs of something more serious. In the last decade, the number of children receiving the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, sometimes, called manic-depressive illness, has grown substantially. But what does the diagnosis really mean for a child? This booklet discusses bipolar disorder in children and teens.

Clinical Manual for Management of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents was written in response to the growing body of knowledge surrounding pediatric bipolar illness and the underlying biological, environmental, and psychosocial influences that exacerbate symptoms and behavior. Written to provide clinically useful information about diagnosis and management, this manual is a comprehensive collection of empirical evidence, case studies, and the growing number of evidence-based reports on pediatric bipolar disorder over the past five years. This manual also contains several chapters provided by Dr. Mary Fristad and her team at The Ohio State University -- experts in family and psychosocial aspects of pediatric bipolar disorder. Her contributions, along with vast clinical evidence and the expertise provided by Drs. Kowatch, Findling, and Post, help paint an accurate picture of everything from age onset to the effectiveness of various therapies. In this manual, clinicians can refer to the following tools: A clinical description of childhood and adolescent bipolar disorder Management strategies for the patient including daily mood charting Current medication strategies and tactics Ways to help patients through the educational system Resources for clinicians, parents and patients A review of the future directions for childhood and adolescent bipolar disorder The many new developments in the field of pediatric bipolar disorder are affirming what this manual emphasizes -- that a combination of family and cognitive-behavior therapy can work in tandem with medical treatments to help young bipolar disorder patients achieve a more balanced life and a greater chance of controlling this illness later in life. The manual demonstrates how the medical community has shifted from asking, "Does bipolar disorder really exist in children and adolescents" to "How can we best predict, diagnose and treat this serious medical disorder" through a review of 25 years of study and insight.

Since it first appeared on bookshelves, The Bipolar Child has made an indelible mark on the field of psychiatry and has become the resource that families rely upon. Now, with more than 200,000 copies sold, the first book about early-onset bipolar disorder is completely revised and expanded. Bipolar disorder—manic depression—was once thought to be rare in children. Now researchers are discovering not only that bipolar disorder can begin early in life, but that it is much more common than ever imagined. Yet the illness is often misdiagnosed and mistreated with medications that can exacerbate the symptoms. Why? Bipolar disorder manifests itself differently in children than in adults, and in children there is an overlap of symptoms with other childhood psychiatric disorders. As a result, these kids may be labeled with any of a number of psychiatric conditions: “ADHD,” “depression,” “oppositional defiant disorder,” “obsessive-compulsive disorder,” or “generalized anxiety disorder.” Too often they are treated with stimulants or antidepressants—medications that can actually worsen the bipolar condition. Since the publication of its first edition, The Bipolar Child has helped many thousands of families get to the root cause of their children’s behaviors and symptoms and find what they need to know. The Papoloses comprehensively detail the diagnosis, explain how to find good treatment and medications, and advise parents about ways to advocate effectively for their children in school. In this edition, a greatly expanded education chapter describes all the changes in educational law due to the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), and offers a multitude of ideas for parents and educators to help the children feel more comfortable in the academic environment. The book also contains crucial information about hospitalization, the importance of neuropsychological testing (with a recommended battery of tests), and the world of insurance. Included in these pages is information on promising new drugs, greater insight into the special concerns of teenagers, and additional sections on the impact of the illness on the family. In addition, an entirely new chapter focuses on major advances taking place in the field of molecular genetics and offers hope that researchers will better understand the illness and develop more targeted and easier-to-tolerate medicines. The Bipolar Child is rich with the voices of parents, siblings, and the children themselves, opening up the long-closed world of the families struggling with this condition. This book has already proved to be an invaluable resource for parents whose children suffer from mood disorders, as well as for the professionals who treat and educate them, and this new edition is sure to continue to light the way.

Despite the fact that much evidence exists to prove that bipolar disorder effects a large amount of children, during the past century doctors have been very reluctant to diagnose bipolar disorder (BPD) before adulthood. In contemporary times, the bias against diagnosing bipolar disorder in youth has been perpetuated by the lack of agreed upon diagnostic criteria that accurately characterise the condition as it typically exists in childhood. As observed by a number of contributors to this volume, this bias extended to birth cohort studies around the world in that instruments designed to detect mania or bipolar disorder were almost never or rarely applied. In the US, the continued use of unmodified DSM-IV criteria to diagnose prepubertal-onset BPD has only recently been tempered by the knowledge that these criteria were developed based solely on observations in adult studies. While the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in childhood still remains the subject of some controversy, today, thankfully, the controversy has shifted from a debate about whether it can be diagnosed to how it is diagnosed. There is now a general consensus among clinicians and researchers all over the world that bipolar disorder does exist in youth and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality; however, the developmental continuity of prepubertal mania with adult bipolar disorder remains yet undetermined and we know very little and are still in great need to learn more about epidemiology, etiology, phenomenology, and treatment of this condition., This book aims to give the first glimpse of the current state of knowledge about paediatric bipolar disorder from around the world and provides an in-depth view of both the differences and the similarities in diagnosis, comorbidity, clinical and research concepts and treatment approaches of colleagues from different parts of the world as well as serves as a source for the historical development of child and adolescent psychiatry, and for the epidemiology of some frequently seen childhood disorders in various countries.

This book is a practical and authoritative guide to diagnosis and treatment of child and adolescent depression in various clinical settings, health care systems, and cultures. Emphasis is placed on evidence-based precepts for treatment. The contributors address current controversies surrounding the potential risks of medications in children and discuss other biological treatments and psychotherapies. Key take-home points are listed at the end of each chapter. Flow charts and tables summarize treatment recommendations, and tables summarize evidence of effectiveness and quality of evidence. Also included are lists of other resources for clinicians, patients, and families.

Bipolar disorders were once considered rare in children and adolescents. A growing body of scientific evidence now suggests that they may be more prevalent in this group than previously believed. At the same time, the practitioner faces significant clinical challenges in both the assessment processes and also the implementation of a treatment plan. A paucity of treatment manuals and pharmacological algorithms providing practical guidance makes the task of the clinician even more difficult, despite the fact that more is known about the assessment, neurobiology and treatment of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder than ever before. Written by three distinguished experts, this book conveys to clinicians all the information currently available in this area. They review both the neuroscience and also the integration of rational, practical, pharmacological and psychosocial interventions. Based on what is known, a sound approach to the assessment of these youngsters can be developed. Similarly, available evidence allows practitioners to ground their treatment protocols solidly on scientific knowledge. Concise and authoritative, Pediatric Bipolar Disorders will give the reader a practical approach to both the art and science of providing the best possible clinical care to children and adolescents with the disorder. This book is written primarily for clinical psychiatrists, but will also be of interest to non-specialist doctors and other members of the health care team.

This volume provides a state-of-the-science review of knowledge on bipolar disorder in children, covering all aspects of theory and research. Leading clinical researchers address such topics as epidemiology, diagnosis and assessment, comorbidity, and outcomes. Compelling findings are presented on the neurobiological and genetic bases of the disorder. Throughout, contributors identify promising directions for further investigation while weighing in on key methodological questions and areas of controversy.