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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tam on December 19, 1998, at 14:20:50
I was diagnosed as being bipolar when I was in the 7th grade, then two years later, I was diagnosed as having ADD. Does this seem a little backwards to anyone? I didn't think that you could even tell if you were biplar until you were 13. Could the lithium treatment have caused the ADD?
Posted by Toby on December 30, 1998, at 9:08:08
In reply to BiPolar child?, posted by Tam on December 19, 1998, at 14:20:50
Lithium wouldn't likely have caused ADD. Since I don't know your symptoms, I can't say for sure which diagnosis really fits, but it is true that the symptoms of ADD and Bipolar disorder mimic each other especially in childhood. Both illnesses can cause impulsive behavior, mood difficulties, depression can cause inattention to school work, etc. It is possible for even very young children to have bipolar disorder (not generally known until the last few years, though), but to get a diagnosis of ADD requires that symptoms start before age 7; so if there were no problems at all until say, age 10, then ADD wouldn't be even an option for a diagnosis.
Posted by Nancy on April 8, 1999, at 13:52:00
In reply to Re: BiPolar child?, posted by Toby on December 30, 1998, at 9:08:08
> Lithium wouldn't likely have caused ADD. Since I don't know your symptoms, I can't say for sure which diagnosis really fits, but it is true that the symptoms of ADD and Bipolar disorder mimic each other especially in childhood. Both illnesses can cause impulsive behavior, mood difficulties, depression can cause inattention to school work, etc. It is possible for even very young children to have bipolar disorder (not generally known until the last few years, though),
Hooray! When I tell doctors that my severe bipolar symptoms (like suicide ideation and also, summer manias) began when I was five/six years old, they think I'm some kind of idiot! They say that "...bipolar disorder does not present itself until the late teens/early twenties...".I say that small children don't have the appropriate knowledge to ask for help. I say that parents too frequently dismiss hypomanias and depressions in children as "just a child". Parents may not even be paying attention to a childs mood affectations until THE PARENT IS DISTURBED by a child's BEHAVIOR PROBLEM.
N
but to get a diagnosis of ADD requires that symptoms start before age 7; so if there were no problems at all until say, age 10, then ADD wouldn't be even an option for a diagnosis.
Posted by Bridgett on April 21, 1999, at 22:35:00
In reply to Re: BiPolar child? I was!!!, posted by Nancy on April 8, 1999, at 13:52:00
I manage a mailing list called BipolarParents. Nearly all of us have children diagnosed with bp, and many of us are bipolar ourselves. Our kids range in age from 4 all the way up to adult, with a great many of them in the 8-12 range. Bipolar disorder is a genetic condition and, yes, there are a lot of bipolar kids out there! If you're a bipolar parent wandering around psycho babble feeling lonely, please consider joining a mailing list. There are several of them out there. A description of the one I run can be found at http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/bipolarparents. This site doesn't automatically subscribe you, it just offers a description of the group and the option to subscribe. :-) Also, there are a lot of very good websites dealing with childhood bp, and Demitri Papolos' (Overcoming Depression) new book on bipolar children will be in bookstores this November.
Bridgett
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