Until quite recently, bipolar disorder was thought to be a disorder found only in adults. As we learn more about this condition, it appears that children even as young as preschool age may have bipolar disorder.

The signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder in adults are easily recognizable and well documented. The symptoms of bipolar disorder in adults depend upon which stage of the disorder the person is experiencing.

* Increased energy, activity and restlessness
* Extreme euphoria
* Mood swings - from irritability to being silly and elated
* Overly-inflated self-esteem; grandiosity
* Less need for sleep
* Rapid speech and excessive talking
* Easily distractible
* Poor judgment
* Increased goal-directed activity or physical agitation
* Risk taking behavior

* A sadness
* Irritability
* Low interest in normal activities
* Change in appetite
* Increase or decrease in weight
* Difficulty falling asleep
* Oversleeping
* Agitation
* Decrease in energy
* Feelings of guilt
* Trouble with concentration
* Thoughts of death
* Thoughts of suicide

The trouble is that the symptoms of bipolar disorder in children are different than those in adults. This makes getting the correct diagnosis a bit more complicated in children.

Children have mood swings, from extreme agitation or elation to sadness and irritability or even depression. In adults these phases may last for several weeks. However, in children these episodes may be quite short and a child may waver from mania to depression many times a day. This is called rapid cycling and is extremely common in children with bipolar disorder.

Children also may experience mixed cycling. This is when both manic and depressive symptoms occur simultaneously. This type of pattern does not happen in adults with bipolar disorder.

Children who later develop bipolar disorder may show signs as early as infancy. Infants with erratic sleep patterns and who are difficult to settle may show up with bipolar disorder later in life. Also, toddlers with high levels of separation anxiety and extreme tantrums may be bipolar later on.

Another pattern that is common in children is that bipolar disorder almost never appears alone. Almost 100% of bipolar children show signs of ADHD. Many have Oppositional Defiant Disorder, schizophrenia, or Tourette syndrome. This makes diagnosing bipolar disorder much more difficult and many children end up with the wrong diagnosis and the wrong medication.

During puberty there is an increase in the risk of developing bipolar disorder. In girls, the start of menstruation may trigger bipolar disorder and the symptoms may vary with the monthly cycle.

The key to treating bipolar disorder successfully is to diagnosis this condition early and treat it appropriately. With proper treatment children will function better and have a much better chance of having a normal life.