Bipolar in Adolescents: The Half of It
Bipolar disorder is a serious disease. Its symptoms can keep people from living a normal life, or even result in suicide attempts. Bipolar disorder can begin to manifest in childhood, but some people do start to show symptoms as adolescents and adulthood. Bipolar medication in children is different from bipolar medication in adults.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is an illness characterized by its mood swings, which range from depressive, manic and hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic is a condition similar to mania but less severe and difficult to diagnose because it can disguise itself as mere happiness. A lot of people experience mixed episodes that presents symptoms of both depression and mania all at once. Exhibiting depressive, manic or hypomanic symptoms, an individual with bipolar disorder (manic depression) may have all the mania symptoms, but may also be struggling with the black thoughts of depression.
How is Adolescent Bipolar Different?
Seemingly unrelated, to things going on in their lives, bipolar disorder is defined as a medical condition in which peoples mood are out of proportion. These mood swings affect behavior, everyday functioning, thoughts, feelings and physical health. Symptom criteria established for adults does not fit precisely the symptom criteria of bipolar disorder in children and teens. It can be mistaken with trauma, abuse, drug use or normal emotions and behaviors of children and adolescents. Bipolar symptoms can resemble or co-occur with other common childhood-onset mental disorders.
Being Careful.
A lot depends on the appropriate diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents for an effective treatment. Antidepressant medication to treat depression in a person who has bipolar disorder may induce manic symptoms if it is taken without a mood stabilizer, as some evidence has shown. Also using, using stimulant medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or ADHD-like symptoms in a child with bipolar disorder may worsen manic symptoms. While it can be hard to determine which young patients will become manic, there is a greater likelihood among children and adolescents who have a family history of bipolar disorder. A doctor should be consulted immediately, in the diagnosis and treatment for bipolar disorder if manic symptoms develop or markedly worsen during antidepressant or stimulant use.
Treating Children.
While medications to treat bipolar disorder have been well studied for use in adults, there are few long-term studies that confirm the effectiveness and safety of mood stabilizers in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Be sure to use all medications exactly as your child’s doctor has prescribed them. If your child develops intolerable side effects from any medication, call your health professional immediately.
Treating ADHD.
In the market today are many medications for adult, children and adolescents alike with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). When treating adults there are several general differences to consider. Childrens organs are usually small compared to those of adults, and their liver and kidney function may not be as strong to absorb the medications. Medication may hang around longer in the adults system than in a child, so an adult may need less of a particular medication. Per pound of body weight to a dose is usually the required measurement of medication given to a child with ADHD.
Conclusion
Often difficult, bipolar disorder is a complex condition with diagnosis and treatment quite tricky. Taking into consideration the safety of the patient, medication should be closely watched and monitored. Consulting a psychiatrist or doctor to navigate the twists and turns of the bipolar symptoms is a must at all times. Especially when you are dealing with adolescent bipolar
