Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is difficult to identify in anyone. It is most difficult to identify in a child for two reasons No one is looking for a youngster to have a mental or emotional illness because they are emotional anyway and, also, because parents do not want to acknowledge their child may have a problem.As children go through their daily lives they deal with frustrations in their own ways and the numbers of ways. However, children with bipolar disorder exhibit similar traits.
Instructions
1. Initially, the trait that should sound alarm in a person's head is an incredibly explosive personality. The child will get out of control without the ability to be consoled. Often these rages are completely out of sync with the problem that caused the problem. A little frustration can cause a major reaction.
2. Bipolar disorder or, manic depression, leaves a person depleted of chemical salts. Often you will see a desire for salt such as pickles. Watch for the use of the salt shaker at the dinner table or on foods not typically salted like pineapple.
3. Understand the hereditary nature of the disease. There is great possibility the child will have bipolar disorder if a parent has it. Associated illnesses may be depression or unipolar disorder in which a person is in such a chronic good mood as to be giddy.If a child is sad all the time then they have depression. If the child has abnormal energy and cannot sleep, then they have unipolar disorder.
4. The child will have trouble focusing often exhibiting a obsessive-compulsive demeanor. Nothing will get accomplished.Hand-in hand with this will be depression. This depression will be different than the standard sadness. The child will be withdrawn and will be almost comatose. They will have trouble getting out of bed and entering into the easiest things.Their mood will then swing to "completely up." The child will then be unable to sleep and have grandiose ideas that cannot be realized.Of course we all go through mood swings in our lives and just because a child gets sad or very happy means little. However, the key is a consistent pattern. Some children will even "cycle" several times a day. By keeping good records in a notebook one doesn't leave important data to memory.
5. Once you have determined that you think a child has bipolar disorder, you should get another opinion such as a spouse. If there is agreement or even if the notes simply bear it out, a doctor should be consulted. No one but a doctor can diagnose bipolar disorder. If it is bipolar disorder, it will have to be treated for a lifetime with medication.It is most important to get the child to a doctor and it is important to be honest and get them there as young as possible. As the child gets older she could become more difficult to physically manage. Also, hormone changes compound the problem.
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