Guest guest Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 Missy, My son has both AS & BP. While it is common to misdiagnose one as the other, it is also very possible to have both disorders at the same time. Contrary to popular belief, bipolar *can* and is often set off by the environment, stress, medication and other triggers. It is not just a self-evolving disorder. Manic reactions of rage can be triggered if a child is already predisposed to irritability, anger and grandiosity (all can be present in mania). Sometimes all it takes is annoyance, other times being told " no " (that's the grandiosity kicking in - manic kids hate to be denied anything - the sense of entitlement can erupt into rage). Lack of sleep, med changes, diet and even situational changes like moves, illness or death can trigger relapse of the bipolar condition. While it is true that some people (usually adults) may see medication as a crutch or an obstacle to using self-control and will power to control moods, in children it does not usually work this way. Children are not usually predisposed to see medication as anything other than a tool to help them gain control over their moods, and if you teach your child that medication is only the foundation to the entire building of mood control (it actually only accounts for about 20% of treatment - but it's a very fundamental 20%), he is less likely to blame unwillingness to work on issues in therapy on med reliance. The symptoms of bipolar are quite clear cut. If you see more than 4 of these manic symptoms in your child, and they occur frequently and at the same time, I would say you need to suspect bp: D - Distractibility I - Insomnia or reduced need for sleep (seems energized on less than a normal amount of sleep) G - Grandiosity (child believes he is the boss, entitled, demanding, may even believe he possesses supernatural powers - which would be psychosis in the form of delusions) F - Flight of ideas (racing thoughts... child will also be very confused or distractible in this condition. Flits from one idea to the next, never really landing on one topic.) A - Actions become goal-oriented or obsessive (rearranging furniture, lining up objects, cleaning, puzzles, reading, etc. - can overlap with AS symptoms of hyperfocus & obsessing on an unusual topic) S - Speech becomes rapid & pressured (stuttering, poor word recall, thoughts are coming too fast for the mouth to keep up so the child talks really fast and seems confused or stressed) T - Thoughtlessness (risk taking behaviors like trying to jump out of the car, trying to fly, running into traffic, also can exhibit hypersexuality by obsessing on opposite sex, wanting a boy/girlfriend, masturbating - rarely sexual predatory behavior) Symptoms of depression are a little harder to pinpoint as direct symptoms of bipolar because they can co-occur in many illnesses. But if suicide becomes a topic of thought or communication, this is very indicative of bipolar. The best tool a parent has in determining if bipolar makes sense is charting.There are many out there to choose from but I never could make any work until I created my own. I use an hourly chart with my son that makes it easy to see by connecting the dots how many times per day his moods switched. The charts are online at www.gcbf.org/resources or I can email them to you off list in WORD form that you can alter and keep on your computer. Some people only chart every 2-3 hours, which is also fine - it gives you an option rather than trying to decide for the whole day what the predominant mood was. At the next GCBF meeting (at Hillside on 3/20 at 10:00 am) and at the southside meetings (this Tuesday 3/16 7pm and Saturday 4/4 11am at my house in McDonough call for directions) I will be doing a training session on mood charting using my charts and various others and helping you come up with your own personalized charting system. It would be a good way to learn what other bp parents have done and how it helps you understand & predict cycles as well as communicating more effectively with your child's doctor. Please visit www.gcbf.org (and request to join any of our online support groups as well) for more information. And feel free to call me or email me off list if you have any specific questions. Thanks, Ward - President Georgia Childhood Bipolar Foundation Zack, 12 - Bipolar, Autism - Trileptal, Abilify, Lamictal www.gcbf.org / julie@... Interested in advocacy? Join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gcbf-advocacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 !!! WOW!! What you said clicks like you wouldn't believe!!! My hubby is seeing a psychiatrist because he has bouts of depression and mania. At his last meeting with the doc he mentioned Ethann to her. I also spoke with her over the phone yesterday and she agrees just by hearing the history that his is a rapid-cycler. Unfortuantly, she is being deployed for 6mths and is the only child certifed therapist. So, even tho the odcs left can do some testing on him they can't treat him. He tried to go after me the other day and my wanring meant nothing to him. He just laughed in my face. The sad thing is he dosen't remember a lot of the outbursts. I would be interested in a copy of the chart. MISSY SAHM to some special kids!!! Excuse Me While I Go Raise Tomorrow's Future. Missy - Bipolar > Missy, > > My son has both AS & BP. While it is common to misdiagnose one as the other, > it is also very possible to have both disorders at the same time. Contrary > to popular belief, bipolar *can* and is often set off by the environment, > stress, medication and other triggers. It is not just a self-evolving > disorder. Manic reactions of rage can be triggered if a child is already > predisposed to irritability, anger and grandiosity (all can be present in > mania). Sometimes all it takes is annoyance, other times being told " no " > (that's the grandiosity kicking in - manic kids hate to be denied anything - > the sense of entitlement can erupt into rage). Lack of sleep, med changes, > diet and even situational changes like moves, illness or death can trigger > relapse of the bipolar condition. > > While it is true that some people (usually adults) may see medication as a > crutch or an obstacle to using self-control and will power to control moods, > in children it does not usually work this way. Children are not usually > predisposed to see medication as anything other than a tool to help them > gain control over their moods, and if you teach your child that medication > is only the foundation to the entire building of mood control (it actually > only accounts for about 20% of treatment - but it's a very fundamental 20%), > he is less likely to blame unwillingness to work on issues in therapy on med > reliance. > > The symptoms of bipolar are quite clear cut. If you see more than 4 of these > manic symptoms in your child, and they occur frequently and at the same > time, I would say you need to suspect bp: > D - Distractibility > I - Insomnia or reduced need for sleep (seems energized on less than a > normal amount of sleep) > G - Grandiosity (child believes he is the boss, entitled, demanding, may > even believe he possesses supernatural powers - which would be psychosis in > the form of delusions) > F - Flight of ideas (racing thoughts... child will also be very confused or > distractible in this condition. Flits from one idea to the next, never > really landing on one topic.) > A - Actions become goal-oriented or obsessive (rearranging furniture, lining > up objects, cleaning, puzzles, reading, etc. - can overlap with AS symptoms > of hyperfocus & obsessing on an unusual topic) > S - Speech becomes rapid & pressured (stuttering, poor word recall, thoughts > are coming too fast for the mouth to keep up so the child talks really fast > and seems confused or stressed) > T - Thoughtlessness (risk taking behaviors like trying to jump out of the > car, trying to fly, running into traffic, also can exhibit hypersexuality by > obsessing on opposite sex, wanting a boy/girlfriend, masturbating - rarely > sexual predatory behavior) > > Symptoms of depression are a little harder to pinpoint as direct symptoms of > bipolar because they can co-occur in many illnesses. But if suicide becomes > a topic of thought or communication, this is very indicative of bipolar. > > The best tool a parent has in determining if bipolar makes sense is > charting.There are many out there to choose from but I never could make any > work until I created my own. I use an hourly chart with my son that makes it > easy to see by connecting the dots how many times per day his moods > switched. The charts are online at www.gcbf.org/resources or I can email > them to you off list in WORD form that you can alter and keep on your > computer. Some people only chart every 2-3 hours, which is also fine - it > gives you an option rather than trying to decide for the whole day what the > predominant mood was. > > At the next GCBF meeting (at Hillside on 3/20 at 10:00 am) and at the > southside meetings (this Tuesday 3/16 7pm and Saturday 4/4 11am at my house > in McDonough call for directions) I will be doing a training > session on mood charting using my charts and various others and helping you > come up with your own personalized charting system. It would be a good way > to learn what other bp parents have done and how it helps you understand & > predict cycles as well as communicating more effectively with your child's > doctor. > > Please visit www.gcbf.org (and request to join any of our online support > groups as well) for more information. And feel free to call me or email me > off list if you have any specific questions. > > Thanks, > > > > Ward - President Georgia Childhood Bipolar Foundation > Zack, 12 - Bipolar, Autism - Trileptal, Abilify, Lamictal > www.gcbf.org / julie@... > Interested in advocacy? Join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gcbf-advocacy > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 !!! WOW!! What you said clicks like you wouldn't believe!!! My hubby is seeing a psychiatrist because he has bouts of depression and mania. At his last meeting with the doc he mentioned Ethann to her. I also spoke with her over the phone yesterday and she agrees just by hearing the history that his is a rapid-cycler. Unfortuantly, she is being deployed for 6mths and is the only child certifed therapist. So, even tho the odcs left can do some testing on him they can't treat him. He tried to go after me the other day and my wanring meant nothing to him. He just laughed in my face. The sad thing is he dosen't remember a lot of the outbursts. I would be interested in a copy of the chart. MISSY SAHM to some special kids!!! Excuse Me While I Go Raise Tomorrow's Future. Missy - Bipolar > Missy, > > My son has both AS & BP. While it is common to misdiagnose one as the other, > it is also very possible to have both disorders at the same time. Contrary > to popular belief, bipolar *can* and is often set off by the environment, > stress, medication and other triggers. It is not just a self-evolving > disorder. Manic reactions of rage can be triggered if a child is already > predisposed to irritability, anger and grandiosity (all can be present in > mania). Sometimes all it takes is annoyance, other times being told " no " > (that's the grandiosity kicking in - manic kids hate to be denied anything - > the sense of entitlement can erupt into rage). Lack of sleep, med changes, > diet and even situational changes like moves, illness or death can trigger > relapse of the bipolar condition. > > While it is true that some people (usually adults) may see medication as a > crutch or an obstacle to using self-control and will power to control moods, > in children it does not usually work this way. Children are not usually > predisposed to see medication as anything other than a tool to help them > gain control over their moods, and if you teach your child that medication > is only the foundation to the entire building of mood control (it actually > only accounts for about 20% of treatment - but it's a very fundamental 20%), > he is less likely to blame unwillingness to work on issues in therapy on med > reliance. > > The symptoms of bipolar are quite clear cut. If you see more than 4 of these > manic symptoms in your child, and they occur frequently and at the same > time, I would say you need to suspect bp: > D - Distractibility > I - Insomnia or reduced need for sleep (seems energized on less than a > normal amount of sleep) > G - Grandiosity (child believes he is the boss, entitled, demanding, may > even believe he possesses supernatural powers - which would be psychosis in > the form of delusions) > F - Flight of ideas (racing thoughts... child will also be very confused or > distractible in this condition. Flits from one idea to the next, never > really landing on one topic.) > A - Actions become goal-oriented or obsessive (rearranging furniture, lining > up objects, cleaning, puzzles, reading, etc. - can overlap with AS symptoms > of hyperfocus & obsessing on an unusual topic) > S - Speech becomes rapid & pressured (stuttering, poor word recall, thoughts > are coming too fast for the mouth to keep up so the child talks really fast > and seems confused or stressed) > T - Thoughtlessness (risk taking behaviors like trying to jump out of the > car, trying to fly, running into traffic, also can exhibit hypersexuality by > obsessing on opposite sex, wanting a boy/girlfriend, masturbating - rarely > sexual predatory behavior) > > Symptoms of depression are a little harder to pinpoint as direct symptoms of > bipolar because they can co-occur in many illnesses. But if suicide becomes > a topic of thought or communication, this is very indicative of bipolar. > > The best tool a parent has in determining if bipolar makes sense is > charting.There are many out there to choose from but I never could make any > work until I created my own. I use an hourly chart with my son that makes it > easy to see by connecting the dots how many times per day his moods > switched. The charts are online at www.gcbf.org/resources or I can email > them to you off list in WORD form that you can alter and keep on your > computer. Some people only chart every 2-3 hours, which is also fine - it > gives you an option rather than trying to decide for the whole day what the > predominant mood was. > > At the next GCBF meeting (at Hillside on 3/20 at 10:00 am) and at the > southside meetings (this Tuesday 3/16 7pm and Saturday 4/4 11am at my house > in McDonough call for directions) I will be doing a training > session on mood charting using my charts and various others and helping you > come up with your own personalized charting system. It would be a good way > to learn what other bp parents have done and how it helps you understand & > predict cycles as well as communicating more effectively with your child's > doctor. > > Please visit www.gcbf.org (and request to join any of our online support > groups as well) for more information. And feel free to call me or email me > off list if you have any specific questions. > > Thanks, > > > > Ward - President Georgia Childhood Bipolar Foundation > Zack, 12 - Bipolar, Autism - Trileptal, Abilify, Lamictal > www.gcbf.org / julie@... > Interested in advocacy? Join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gcbf-advocacy > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.