Cure Anxiety And Depression

Can Bipolar Disorder occur in Children?

Bipolar disorder is an illness with symptoms of extreme mood changes.  The name, bipolar disorder, reflects the alternation between a state of depression and a state of mania.  Bipolar disorder is also referred to as manic depression.  An individual with a bipolar disorder has symptoms during an episode of depression such as extreme sadness, lack of interest in activities, fatigue, nervousness and withdrawal symptoms.  As a manic episode takes over, the individual can begin to display aggression, agitation, loudness and fast speech, palpitations, lots of activity and high energy levels.  Bipolar disorder can occur in both adults and children.  If extreme behavioural changes are noticed in the child, it can be a sign that something is wrong.  Seeking medical help and a proper diagnosis are essential in getting treatment for bipolar disorder.

Since bipolar disorder is a serious illness of the brain, its symptoms can be quite powerful and difficult to ignore, even in children.  Children can get easily excited and may be happy or sad within the same minute or few minutes.  However, bipolar disorder still manifests as an unusual mood, beyond that which is normally seen.  For example, a child is sad for no apparent reason and then becomes euphoric, also for no apparent reason.  Activity that is so much more that is usually seen can also be a cause for concern.  Adults can manifest bipolar disorder symptoms differently from children.  Adults may have infrequent mood changes, while children are unable to maintain their episodes of mania and depression.  There could be a number of reasons for this difference including a child’s inherent nature of not wanting to stick to a particular activity for long periods of time.  Also, a child may be trying to make sense of the condition and this could be triggering the frequent switching back and forth from mania to depression.

Bipolar depression in children is also known as early onset bipolar disorder. It can be an unbearable illness to manage without treatment as it affects the child’s functions in school, at home or in an attempt to play.  Episodes of mania can also be dangerous for the child with bipolar disorder and those around them.

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