I have a 5 year old diagnosed with Bipolar. She has alot of the same behaviors as you describe in your daughter but along with that she is also irritable and aggressive, along with being very sensory defensive and doesn't sleep when not medicated. She has been this way since birth. When we were first experimenting with diagnosis and meds she was Adderall XR 5 mg for 1 week. She got so aggitated that she actually choked another child at daycare because she was making a noise and wouldn't stop. I worked with my child pediatrician for quite awhile (he was in contact with a psychiatrist). We couldn't seem to get her meds right and when we did find one that worked she would have the weight gain side effect that wasn't healthy for her. She gained 20 lbs. in 1 year. They type of meds she took was also complicated by the fact that she would not swallow any kinds of pills or capsules. We finally got her over that to some extent so our med choices are more diverse now. I finally got her into a psychiatrist who confirmed the Bipolar disorder that we had been medicating for. Her psychiatrist is of course more versed in the meds so I am hoping for the best as we are still trying to find the right meds without the bad side effects.
My whole point is if your daughter has only been seeing a pediatrician I would recomend you have her evaluated by a psychiatrist. Your family history is certianly something to take into consideration.
Best Wishes, Gettingagrip
gettingagrip38456.5118981482My dd is almost 7.She was dx with ADHD at 5 and tried several stimulants and strattera over the past two years.They all caused tics and made her behavior worse.She was on Lexapro for 3 days and her teacher came out to my car after school to get me to come see what she had done.She wrote all over the floor and was extremely hyper.She chewed her shirt sleeve up and ate pencils all day.Her dr put her on topamax 3 weeks ago.I asked him about bipolar because I have 2 brothers with it.He said he doesn't think she has it.He said the topamax was to help her tics and calm her down a bit.After I got home I looked it up and it's a newer mood stabilizer for bipolar.
I have a different child now.She is not hyper at all and the tics are completely gone.Her teacher said she can finally sit in her desk and do her work.She's still bothering her classmates but has improved alot.She done 3 homework sheets yesterday by herself.I didn't even read the directions for her.Her excessive chewing as stopped too.
Now I'm curious.Could she have bipolar?Was she misdiagnosed with ADHD?Is that why she reacted the way she did on stimulants and Lexapro?
I hate to brag because it never seems to last.Everytime we seemed to get her meds right in the past,it was short lived.I really think this could be it.Wish us luck.
I do wish you all the luck in the world! I would hesitate to diagnose a child based on the reaction they have to a medication!My heart goes out to you becasue of what you have been through! So much of the time Dr.s miss the diagoniois and we are the ones who have to live through the trama. I am a mother of 2 ADHD children. Mood stabilizers have been a God send along with their stimulate meds. I am also a teacher of 15 yrs. who has delt with students with ADHD and/or Bipolar disorder in the classroom. There are two books I always recommend to parents when the subject is brought up the 1st is Six ways to Healing ADHD by Dr. Daniel Amen the other I believe is titled The Bipolar Child. I can't recall the author. Read them they really will help. Good Luck and God Bless. Hello - My mother was put on topamax for a condition called trigeminal neuralgia. It is a nerve damage problem in the face. It helped control the tic and the pain. She is not bipolar. I think that many of these medicines can be used to help several different conditions. That is great that it seems to help your daughter! Good luck on your search for a accurate diagnosis.