Child Onset Bipolar Disorder

11 Pages 2776 Words

a mixed state. Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, Cyclothymia, and Mixed State Bipolar Disorder are all very rare in children. For many years it was assumed that children could not suffer the mood swings of mania or depression, but as more research has been done, we have realized that bipolar disorder can occur in children, and it is much more common than previously thought. Althoug, the DSM-IV does touch on the subject of children with mood disorders, they are still diagnosed according to adult criteria. In children, mania and hypomania appear as more of an irritable mood. These features come and go throughout the day and are not as persistent as in adults. When bipolar disorder is present in children it is more severe and harder to treat. Children tend to experience extremely rapid mood swings, often cycling from mania to depression and back to mania several times a day. The most typical pattern of cycling among those with COBPD, called ultra-ultra rapid or ultradian, is most often associated with low arousal states in the mornings fol...