Mom of Four,
My sister is concerned about possible bipolar in her daughter. Here is a link that may help you determine if your 7 year old could be showing signs of it.
http://www.bpkids.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lrn_about
Sounds like you have been through a lot. Welcome to the board.
before you go for any diagnosis like that try to make sure it is not the medication that is causing the trouble
WE HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE OUT OF MY SEVEN YEAR OLD FOR A COUPLE MONTHS NOW.
A BRIEF HISTORY TO START:THESE ARE HIS CURRENT DIAGNOSES ADHD, MILD HEMIPLEGIC CEREBRAL PALSY, SENSORY INTEGRATION DISORDER, TIBIAL TORTION, & BLOUNTS DISEASE(SIGH).
HE HAD A MED INCREASE IN MARCH AND WE DID REALLY WELL FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND NOW HE IS BEHAVING THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE THE MED INCREASE WITH ADDED NIGHTMARES AND HORRIBLE MORNINGS I NEED HELP, NOW THE DOCTOR HAS SUGGESTED O.C.D. OR BI POLAR OR EVEN POSSIBLE MILD AUTISM .
I'M SCARED I AM ALWAYS SO ABREAST ON THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH HIM AND I AM OVERWELMED I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BI POLAR AND AUTISM. AND I ONLY KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT O.C.D (MY MOM HAS O.C.D.)
ANYTHING FROM ANYONE WOULD BE GREAT!!
Do see if the meds are causing it first by asking doctor to give him a med vacation. OCD is often part of autistic spectrum disorder if it's the type where the child "stims"--tends to repeat things or do something over and over again. OCD in bipolar is often "bad thoughts that I can't get out of my head." Both kids with ASD and bipolar can rage, but it's more of an issue with bipolar. ADHD kids don't rage for hours unless there is more going on. My son was diagnosed both with ADHD and bipolar before we got the real diagnosis (Autistc Spectrum Disorder). My son has really come far since the meds have gone and he's gotten school interventions. I recommend a NeuroPsych for diagnosing. If not a Neuropsych, I'd go for a Psyschiatrist (with the MD). I would not trust any diagnosis by anyone employed with the SD, a non-MD or non-Neuro Psycologist, talk therapist, social worker or counselor. They don't run any tests and don't have much knowledge of childhood disorders that are neurologically and medically based (and are therefore prone to misdiagnosing things as ODD). Be careful with your child. Make sure you take him to professionials until the right diagnosis is made and the child is improving. That's what we had to do. I trust "Mom Gut." If you believe something more is going on, it probably is. You'll know when it's the right dx., even if you have trouble accpeting it at first. The right dx. is important because each one requires a different sort of treatment and ADHD treatment can make things, like bipolar, much worse. Good luck.Sounds like the doc isn't sure what's the core problem, and is running the gamut of disorders looking for an empirical answer (running trials).