What is bipolar disorder, and how does it affect children?

What is bipolar disorder, and how does it affect children?

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes children to be very irritable and have significant swings in mood. Bipolar disorder was previously called manic-depressive disorder.

Children with this illness experience unusual mood changes, moving from feeling very happy and joyful to feeling deeply sad. Other children experience chronic irritability, sometimes accompanied by mood shifts. Additional symptoms include grandiose behavior, pressured speech, racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, risky behavior and hypersexuality.

If the illness goes untreated, school, relationships and daily life may become difficult. Youth with bipolar disorder are also at increased risk for suicide and/or delinquent behavior with incarceration.

It’s important to note that even if you see some of these symptoms in your child, the diagnosis isn’t necessarily bipolar disorder. There is some disagreement in the children’s mental health field over how symptoms differ between children and adults, and when bipolar disorder should be diagnosed. A mental health professional can help you identify the problem.