Bipolar

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bipolar disorder

Determining Bipolar Disorder in children is harder then adults because of the mistakes doctor’s make in their diagnosis. All kids have mood swings—is it Bipolar Disorder? Psychologists of today are having problems diagnosing children with Bipolar Disorder because the symptoms are so different from the adult form of the disorder. In children Bipolar Disorder is called “Child Onset Bipolar Disorder”, known as COBPD (My Child 1). In children the cycling from highs to lows are very fast. Children will cycle between mania and depression many times a day. The episodes of mania or depression are short and rarely go on for more then a day at a time (Childhood 1). Children have longer periods of normal behavior between episodes then adults (Bipolar I Disorder 1). This rapid cycling is called “ultra-ultra rapid cycling” (My Child 1). “Ultra-ultra rapid cycling” is mostly associated with the low states in the morning, and then followed by the afternoon and evening with a high increase in energy (Frequently Asked Questions 1). Children usually have continuous mood changes that are mixes of mania and depression (Sutphen 1). In adult Bipolar Disorder, it is called “Bipolar Affective Disorder”, known as manic depressive illness (My Child 1). For adults the change from manic to depressed can take months. They often have periods of normal behavior in between their episodes of mania and depression (Bipolar 1). Bipolar Disorder is a biochemical imbalance that causes major mood changes from the highs of mania, to the very lows of depression (My Child 1). Doctors say “What goes up must come down” with the highs and lows of this disorder, but the cycles are very unpredictable and vary in Determining Bipolar Disorder in children is harder then adults because of the mistakes doctor’s make in their diagnosis. length. The times of depression and mania stages are not equal in time (Basic Terminology 1). In children o...