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My Child Has Bipolar Disorder

© Colleen Sullivan

"Ever since my son Tommy was born he was different from my other two children. It seemed to take forever to get him to sleep and once he was sleeping he frequently woke crying for no reason. I was exhausted and at my wits end trying to settle him down...all the advice given to me by mother, grandmother and friends was to no avail. I began to think there was something wrong with me. As Tommy grew older there were more signs that something was wrong."

Hyperactivity, fidgetiness, problems with making changes and high levels of anxiety (particular with separation anxiety from mom) began to appear. In addition there were signs that frustration, impulsiveness and poor anger control were leading to prolonged and violent temper tantrums.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Everyone can relate to the word mood. We are all happy, excited, sad or depressed at some point in our lives. Bipolar Affective Disorder (Manic Depressive Illness) is a biochemical imbalance that causes gross mood changes from the high reaches of mania to the lows of severe depression. For the one percent or twenty million Americans who have this condition it can mean hospitalizations, a life time of medication, disability at an early age and the reduced income associated with it. Bipolar Affective Disorder can be life threatening.

What is COBPD?

COBPD is the abbreviation for Childhood Onset Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder is an illness of mood, or affect. In adults moodswings usually last for weeks or months before remitting or changing to the opposite pole (thus the term bipolar: having two poles). Children often cycle many times during one day, a condition known as ultra-ultra rapid cycling.

What Causes Bipolar Disorder?

The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. Recent studies have shown that heredity plays a major role.

Diagnosing COBPD

Diagnosing COBPD can often be a difficult process. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Oppositional defiant disorder present many of the same symptoms. In addition, fifty to 80 percent of those individuals diagnosed COBPD have concurrent ADHD. The symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are not the same as those in adults other than the alternating mood swings, and these may be overlooked.

The following symptoms are often seen in BOTH ADHD and COBPD.

Distractibility Lack of Attention to Details Difficulty Waiting One's Turn Interrupting or intruding on Others Motor Restlessness Destructiveness or Misbehavior Physical Outbursts or Temper Tantrums

In addition, the mood fluctuations, sleep disturbances (night terrors and nightmares) and irritability are commonly seen in COPBD but not ADHD.

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