PEDIATRIC BIPOLAR

Pediatric Bipolar

Pediatric Bipolar

Introduction

More than a century has acknowledged the existence of a mood disorder in adults involving severe changes in mood states ranging from deep depression to euphoria. This disorder is commonly known as manic depression, but is now formally called bipolar disorder, referring to the two "poles" of depression and mania. However, until recently, this disorder is rarely diagnosed in teenagers (Barbara 2008). Bipolar disorder also has become a controversial area within the field of child mental health. There is little disagreement as to their existence. The discrepancy lies in the symptoms of bipolar disorder in youth and how they differ from those in adults.Subjects

In this article, 115 children were experimented from years 1995 through 1998; these children were of age group 11.1. These children were having cardinal symptoms with mixed and a manic phase and were having less than 60 score for Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS). In this study, the team conducted interviews with the effected children's parents.Discussion

This article discusses that Bipolar disorder involves episodes of serious mania and depression. (To clarify the concept, serious depression is a distinct disorder of mood that has the same symptoms of depression, but without the presence of symptoms of mania). The diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals is based on the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in adults. The following list includes the behaviour observed by the parents of children who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Behaviours related to major depressive episodes are as followed:

• A marked loss of interest or enjoyment of life, manifested sometimes with boredom• Agitation and irritability• Hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) or insomnia (inability to sleep)• Significant changes in appetite• Changes in the level of activity observed (usually slow or unwillingness)• Energy loss• Inability to concentrate• Sadness or frequent crying• Feeling of guilt or worthlessness• Death wishes, suicidal thoughts or self-destructive behaviour

Research says that only the first five symptoms are specific to TB (Tuberculosis) diagnosed manic children. The same article adds that 87.1% of children presented manic glee and irritability, similar in adults with mania, but their rates of mixed or dysphoric mania and psychosis are higher. Further notes that, unlike the controls and those with ADHD, only bipolar disease has high risk of suicide, so there is a need of diagnosis. The history of potential risks requires reporting of symptoms often more than one informant (Findling 2001). While children and adolescents could not account, discuss and complete their problems , therefore, parents and teachers read their symptoms and identify it. A test of self-evaluation Scale Hypomanic personality of ECKBLAD and CHAPMAN has been applied by Klein and et al. In this test almost 1700 high school students have been experimented, but still this test did not provide the complete results. In this test some hypomanic traits have been recognized, according to these traits an affective disorder, disruptive behavior and substance use has been identified.

Bipolar Disorder is a serious mental illness that is thought to affect approximately 2.6% of the adult population (Depression and Bipolar Support ...