Here are some signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder in children: Severe mood swings that are different from their usual mood swings. Hyperactive, impulsive, aggressive or socially inappropriate behavior.
Studies conducted since then indicate that many adults with the disorder did exhibit symptoms in childhood. In fact, about 30 percent of adults with bipolar disorder report experiencing symptom onset before the age of 13. One study estimates an overall prevalence of 1.8% of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.
My child has very irritable moods and/or throws age-inappropriate, protracted, explosive tantrums. My child is physically aggressive and/or curses in anger. My child shows severe mood changes and disruptive behavior with each major mood. My child shows excessive worry or anxiety.
Although bipolar disorder can occur at any age, typically it's diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s. Symptoms can vary from person to person, and symptoms may vary over time.
Both disorders can cause issues with focus and trouble sleeping. The main difference is that in bipolar disorder, these symptoms come and go after weeks or months. In ADHD, they are present all or most of the time. But because the signs are so similar, kids may end up with the wrong diagnosis.
During manic episodes, your child may be unusually active, energetic, or irritable. Extreme silliness may also accompany increased energy in children. During depressive episodes, they may be especially low, sad, or fatigued.
Talking rapidly, sudden changes in topic, or “leaps of logic.” Having more energy than usual, especially if needing little sleep. Being intensely focused, or finding it hard to focus. Involuntary facial movements, such as twitches or mouthing.
Bipolar disorder can be confused with other conditions, such as depression, schizophrenia, BPD, anxiety, and ADHD. Detecting and diagnosing bipolar disorder may take some time. But getting a correct, early diagnosis often results in better outcomes.
The AACAP describes this abnormal state for children or teens as having low energy, fatigue, poor concentration, and decreased enjoyment in favorite activities; decreased appetite or major change in eating habits; complaints of physical illnesses, such as stomach aches and headaches; and thoughts of death.
Many of the symptoms of a manic bipolar episode and ADHD may be similar, such as distractibility, restlessness, or impulsivity. So ADHD may go undiagnosed in a person with bipolar disorder, if a doctor mistakes ADHD symptoms for a manic episode.
Occasional tantrums and irritability are normal parts of childhood, but some kids have frequent, extreme tantrums — at an age when most kids have outgrown them — and are irritable most of the time. Those are signs that they might have what's called disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, or DMDD.
Bipolar disorder may also be genetic or inherited. However, it will usually not be passed to children. About one in 10 children of a parent with bipolar disorder will develop the illness. Nine out of 10 will not.
Severe changes in mood — either extremely irritable or overly silly and elated. Overly-inflated self-esteem; grandiosity. Increased energy. Decreased need for sleep — able to go with very little or no sleep for days without tiring.
Some studies have found that as many as 27 percent of those with autism also have symptoms of bipolar disorder. By contrast, its prevalence in the general population is around 4 percent. However, we believe that bipolar disorder is mistakenly over-diagnosed in those with autism.
Childhood trauma
Some experts believe that experiencing a lot of emotional distress as a child can cause bipolar disorder to develop. This could be because childhood trauma and distress can have a big effect on your ability to manage your emotions. This can include experiences like: Neglect.
Is bipolar disorder on the autism spectrum? No. Bipolar disorder is not part of the autism spectrum, though an unusually large number of people with bipolar disorder are also autistic (and vice versa).
Bipolar Triggers and Warning Signs
Bipolar disorder features extreme shifts in mood that are unpredictable and often disruptive to daily functioning. Changes in sleep patterns, eating habits, emotions, and behaviors accompany the mood swings.
People with bipolar depression, however, tend to have more unpredictable mood swings, more irritability and guilt, and more feelings of restlessness. They also tend to move and speak slowly, sleep a lot and gain weight. (Sometimes these behaviors might be made more obvious by medication side effects.)
Manic episodes are not a symptom of ADHD, but a person with ADHD may experience some of the symptoms of a hypomanic episode. Although there may be some symptom similarities, the underlying causes of bipolar disorder and ADHD are different.
During a manic or hypomanic episode, the child might appear sillier than usual, speak more often and more quickly than usual, sleep much less than usual and not feel tired and engage in many activities, especially enjoyable or risky activities.
Bipolar Disorder and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
In the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association, writers added a new pediatric mood disorder called Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD).