Symptoms of Pediatric Bipolar | ADHD Information
Bipolar disorder is often mistaken by professionals as ADHD. Symptom in children diagnosed with bipolar disorder may include: an expansive or irritable mood extreme sadness or lack of interest in play rapidly changing moods lasting a few hours to a few days explosive, lengthy, and often destructive rages separation anxiety defiance of authority hyperactivity, agitation, and distractibility sleeping little or, alternatively, sleeping too much bed wetting and night terrors strong and frequent cravings, often for carbohydrates and sweets excessive involvement in multiple projects and activities impaired judgment, impulsivity, racing thoughts, and pressure to keep talking dare-devil behaviors (such as jumping out of moving cars or off roofs) inappropriate or precocious sexual behavior delusions and hallucinations grandiose belief in own abilities that defy the laws of logic (ability to fly, for example)Symptoms of bipolar disorder can emerge as early as infancy. Mothers often report that children later diagnosed with the disorder were extremely difficult to settle and slept erratically. They seemed extraordinarily clingy, and from a very young age often had uncontrollable, seizure-like tantrums or rages out of proportion to any event. The word "no" often triggered these rages.
Several ongoing studies are further exploring characteristics of affected children. Researchers are studying, with promising results, the effectiveness and safety of adult treatments in children.
OlderMom38878.7362152778BUMPPlease check out most recent post. Does your child have this condition, and if so, is there anything (medication) that has helped?? I am really having an increasingly difficult time with my son. The only thing is, what if he does have bipolar instead of adhd, this does not mean much to me that it has a different name, just a more effective way to treat it. You know?????
Bipolar is often mistaken for "severe ADHD" or ADHD/ODD. Stims don't help at all, can make it worse. Mood stabilizers work best for bipolar. I highly recommend checking out these other sites to talk to parents who have kids diagnosed with this. Unfortunately, many "severe ADHD" kids will never get the right diagnosos. You need a psychiatrist (with the MD) for an accurate diagnosis. Here are the links. (I have bipolar. Yes, it's treatable). If it seems like it's more than ADHD, it's probably more than ADHD. THe vast majority of bipolar kids have mood problems and/or substance abuse on the family tree (or suspected), and are usually first gtven an ADHD dx., which just makes things worse. Also, another mimicker is high functioning autism. If your child has a speech delay/problem, sensory issues, and serious social issues, that's also a possibility and there are other links for that. Don't give up!
OlderMom38879.7006481482Thank you!! for your reply!! I will keep you updated on my/his progress.