About Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: The Symptoms

By David Oliver

NOTE: This is part of a series of articles. Last month we did an article on “Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: An Introduction.” This month we will continue the series and will go over the symptoms of the disorder. Please note that the terms Pediatric Bipolar Disorder and Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder are interchangeable and refer to the same disorder.

Bipolar Disorder involves marked changes in both mood and energy. Persistent states of extreme sadness or irritability which are accompanied by low energy are called depression (or depressive episodes), while persistent states of extreme elation or agitation which are accompanied by high energy are called mania (or manic episodes).

However, the disorder may look different in children than it does in adults. Children will usually have an ongoing, continuous mood disturbance which is a mix of depression and mania. This rapid and severe cycling between both moods produces chronic irritability and few clear periods of wellness between bipolar episodes.

A diagnosis of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder is made using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria used to diagnose adults with Bipolar Disorder, and for which there is no lower age limit. However, it becomes more difficult to apply the DSM-IV criteria to very young children.

Behaviors reported by parents of these children may include:

an expansive or irritable mood

extreme sadness or lack of interest in play

explosive, length, and often destructive rages

rapidly changing moods lasting a few hours to a few days

defiance of authority

separation anxiety

hyperactivity, agitation, and distractibility

sleeping too little or sleeping too much

bed wetting and night terrors

strong and frequent cravings, often for sweets and carbohydrates

excessive involvement in multiple projects and activities

impaired judgment, impulsivity, racing thoughts, and pressure to keep talking

dare-devil behaviors (such as jumping off roofs or out of moving cars)

inappropriate or precocious sexual behavior

hallucinations and delusions

grandiose belief in their own abilities that defy the laws of logic (ability to fly, for example)

Symptoms of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder can emerge as early as infancy. Mothers often report that children who were later diagnosed with the disorder were extremely difficult to settle as infants and slept erratically. They also seemed extraordinarily clingy, and from a very young age often had uncontrollable, seizure-like tantrums or rages that were out of proportion to any event. The word "No" often triggered these rages.

Next month we will continue this series, with “Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Adolescents.”

About the Author

David Oliver is the founder of FreeBipolarCourse.com, a one-stop source of information on how to cope and deal with bipolar disorder. Sign up for one of his FREE Mini Courses on bipolar by visiting FreeBipolarCourse.com

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