Children, like adults, can have Bipolar disorder (BD). It causes people to experience extreme changes in mood which affect their daily lives.
BD is marked by alternating episodes of high mood and low mood. Consistent with the National Alliance on mental illness (NAMI), it affects about 2.8 percent of the United States population.
Although the standard age of diagnosis is 25, people with Bipolar Disorder can also be diagnosed in childhood and adolescence.
It is a lifelong condition that people manage with medication and therapy. With treatment, children and teenagers can lead active and fulfilling lives.
Read on to seek out more about the symptoms of bipolar disorder in children, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and related mental state conditions.
WHAT IS BIPOLAR DISORDER ?
Bipolar disorder could also be a mental state condition causing extreme shifts in energy. They affect a person’s mood, activity levels, and concentration.
When a toddler features a coffee — or depressive — episode, they will have low energy and lose interest in enjoyable activities.
During a high — or manic — episode, a private may notice their child features tons of energy.
For example, they will be speaking faster and for extended than usual. Some children also experience hypomania, which lasts a minimum of 4 consecutive days, compared with a manic episode’s 7 consecutive days.
There are three kinds of bipolar disorder , each with distinct characteristics.
Bipolar I
People with bipolar I usually experience manic incidents lasting a minimum of seven days. If these episodes are particularly severe, they will need to seek medical attention.
They may also experience depressive incidents lasting about 2 weeks.
Bipolar II
Similar to bipolar I, people with bipolar II experience depressive and hypomanic incidents. These hypomanic incidents are shorter in duration than normal manic episodes.
Cyclothymic disorder (cyclothymia)
The cyclothymia causes hypomanic and depressive symptoms that do not meet the standards for hypomanic and depressive episodes.
While almost like BD, cyclothymia mood changes are less severe. An individual can still function and complete day-to-day tasks, although not necessarily also once they’re symptom-free.
For a doctor to diagnose this condition, an adult must have symptoms for a minimum of 2 years. In children, this reduces to 1 year. During now , the hypomanic and depressive symptoms should be present a minimum of half the time.
Bipolar symptoms in children
An adolescent experiencing a manic, hypomanic, or depressive incident may have a spread of symptoms. Each mood episode could last for several days or weeks, and thus the symptoms may change throughout.
Symptoms of a manic episode include:
Showing intense happiness
Joking around for an extended time
Talking fast and flitting from topic to topic
Having difficulty falling asleep
Losing the power to focus
Having racing thoughts
Seeming overly curious about some activities
Making risky decisions
Symptoms of a depressive episode include:
Feeling sad for no reason
Becoming angry very quickly
Complaining about stomach and headaches
Sleeping for extended
Losing the power to concentrate
Feeling hopeless and worthless
Eating an excessive amount of or little
Having no energy
Losing the power to speak effectively
Losing touch with friends
Thinking about death or suicide
Sometimes a toddler may experience a mixed events , which suggests they show both manic and depressive symptoms.
Mixed episode symptoms include:
Feeling agitated
Getting upset over small issues or for no reason within the least
Having trouble falling or staying asleep
Eating an excessive amount of or insufficient
Talking about suicide
Suicide prevention
If you recognize someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:
Ask the tough question: “Are you considering suicide?”
Listen to the person without judgment.
Call 911 or the local emergency number, or text ask 741741 to talk with a trained crisis counsellor.
Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
Try to remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.
If you or someone you recognize has thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is out there 24 hours per day at 800-273-8255. During a crisis, folks that are hard of hearing can call 800-799-4889.
RELATED MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
Bipolar disorder are often tricky to diagnose because it shares symptoms with other common psychological state conditions. Additionally, children with manic depression may have multiple psychological state conditions at an equivalent time. Some of these, called overlap conditions, often appear in children with Bipolar Disorder. They include:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Alcohol and drug misuse
Anxiety disorder
Without mania, manic depression can look very almost like major clinical depression because people with bipolar often experience episodes of depression. This means a medical professional may have to rule out depression before diagnosing a toddler with manic depression .
Diagnosing bipolar disorder in children
There are not any blood tests or brain scans which will diagnose manic depression . A doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist will ask several questions when making a diagnosis.
The questions may relate to a child’s:
Mood
Energy levels
Sleeping pattern
General behaviour
Bipolar disorder may have a genetic link, thus the doctor will want to know if any relations have bipolar disorder or depression.
Sometimes, substance use may worsen symptoms. A individual should tell the doctor about any substances they are taking in order that they can receive safe and suitable treatment.
TREATMENT OF BIPOLAR DISORDER IN CHILDREN
There are a spread of treatment options available for youngsters and teenagers . With the proper treatment plan, children can live fulfilling lives with manic depression .
Medication
Depending on the child’s symptoms, a healthcare doctor may prescribe a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic with or without an antidepressant.
Bipolar differs from major clinical depression in several ways. A person may have cyclical depression, unstable moods, ad different behaviour. Bipolar disorder medications target these unique aspects.
MOOD STABILIZERS
Mood stabilizers control mood swings and may prevent the onset of mania. Some medications a doctor may prescribe include carbamazepine (Tegretol) and oxcarbazepine (Trileptal).
Doctors prescribe different medications counting on a person’s age and symptoms. When discussing medication options, a doctor will thoroughly discuss the risks and benefits.
ANTIPSYCHOTICS
Antipsychotic medications relieve symptoms of psychosis, which may be a break from reality during a manic incident. These medications even have a mood-stabilizing effect.
A doctor may prescribe antipsychotics like quetiapine (Seroquel), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and ziprasidone (Geodon).
ANTIDEPRESSANTS
Antidepressants reduce the symptoms of a depressive episode. However, they will make mania symptoms worse, so doctors only recommend them as a part of combination treatment.
Doctors have also linked antidepressants to an increase in suicidal thinking and behaviour in children and teens with major depression and other psychiatric disorders.
A doctor may advice antidepressants including sertraline (Zoloft), escitalopram (Lexapro), and citalopram (Celexa).
PSYCHOTHERAPY
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, enables children’s to recognize once they are encountering a manic or depressive esposide. With the help of assistant , they will figure out how to recognize and deal with their manifestations.
Likewise, to talk therapy, a youngster will probably receive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This kind of treatment assists individuals with comprehension and control musings, sentiments, and practices.
Despite the fact that treatment is a pivotal piece of a youngster's treatment plan, it's normal used related to medicine. Each individual has various side effects and wishes, and their treatment plan will be customized to them.
BIPOLAR DISORDER RISKS
At the point when a little child or high schooler has untreated BD, they will participate in dangerous practices. Sometimes, they will unwittingly place themselves in hazard.
Youngsters with Bipolar disorder even have an expanded danger of:
dropping out of school
not forming lasting relationships
getting into financial or legal troubles
taking harmful substances
considering suicide
In one investigation of youngsters and youths with bipolar, I tracked down that 57%Trusted Wellspring of the members had a raised (higher than typical) hazard of self destruction. The examination additionally looked at rest aggravations, which are normal among individuals with BD. The outcomes showed that the members with bad dream problems were twice as liable to trust Source to be at risk for self destruction.
Subsequently, groups of youngsters with BD should know about this danger and look for help when required.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
In the event that you remember somebody at impending danger of self-mischief, self destruction, or harming someone else:
Pose the extreme inquiry: "Would you say you are thinking about self destruction?"
Pay attention to the individual without judgment.
Call 911 or the nearby crisis number, or text ask 741741 to talk with a prepared emergency advocate.
Stay with the individual until proficient assistance shows up.
Attempt to eliminate any weapons, prescriptions, or other conceivably destructive items.
On the off chance that you or somebody you perceive has musings of self destruction, an anticipation hotline can help. The Public Self destruction Anticipation Help is out there 24 hours out of every day at 800-273-8255. During an emergency, individuals that are nearly deaf can call 800-799-4889.
Support for children with bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder does not affect one individual — it impacts the whole family. A kid with BD might battle to know their condition, and that they might feel segregated. Relatives might think that its difficult to influence being not able to help a little child manage these hardships.
There are support bunches for the two kids with BD and their families. A few gatherings they'll need to contemplate include:
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
Bipolar Caregivers
Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation
Daily Strength (a teen support group)
Some families also participate in family-focused therapy (FFT), which is an evidence-based intervention involving both the individual with BD and caregiver(s).
FFT focuses on education, communication skills, and problem-solving. One review of the research showed that 12 sessions of FFT reduced symptom severity Trusted Source in people with BD.
SUMMARY
Bipolar disorder can influence the two kids and grown-ups. It very well may be hard to analyze in youngsters on the grounds that the manifestations are like other co-happening conditions, for example, ADHD and nervousness issues.
Treatment for hyper gloom incorporates a combination of treatment (like psychotherapy and CBT) and medications (like state of mind stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants).
Albeit bipolar might be a long lasting condition, with treatment kids and teens can lead satisfying and cheerful lives. Youngsters with Bipolar Disorder, likewise as their families, may discover support bunches valuable in exploring testing times.
SOURCE
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/bipolar-disorder-in-children