THANK YOU Mush18 - and you too!!!!!!!

Hugs
Katten

I worry that my youngest son will have BP if he doesn't already, as his mood swings sound like yours. He has a father I divorced that will deny it, instead of looking at the real problem, but I am always concerned.... He is disciplined a lot due to his anger problems he has, and I don't think a lack of discipline cause these rapid mood swings, I don't know if it is just a personality thing, or if it is just "being a kid" as mine is 7now, his attention span is very short....

I worry....as you do, and feel for you.... This is a good post, and intend to look up the links that Carla gave to yo when I have time....

NOT SINGLING ANYONE OUT.

But, let's say for example a baby is born with a cleft palate. There IS a genetic predisposition for this malformation. The ARE also factors like if the mother took antidepressants during pregnancy or if she had a vitamin deficiency. IT'S ALL THE MOTHER'S FAULT! Does that sound about right? And that baby shouldn't receive treatment b/c there's a chance the baby could die in surgery, and the side effects of the medications after surgery are terrible. That baby will have to wait until they are old enough to decide for themselves what to do.

Who has the right to be more upset with the Mother? The people that think she is wrong for putting her infant through the pain, and risk of surgery/medications so her child can lead a normal life? Or her child that has to go through life with this malformation?

Obviously no contest. Not to mention that most people don't think that way. OF COURSE, that child should have treatment. OF COURSE, you don't want that poor child to go through life like that. I'm pretty sure that no one would blame the Mother for it either, even if she herself was born with a cleft palate and/or took antidepressants through pregnancy or had a vitamin deficiency.

Yeah, statistically, onset of BP is USUALLY in the late teens or early adulthood. Statistically, Breast Cancer USUALLY happens to women. You can't base all of your knowledge and opinions on statistics b/c there are ALWAYS cases that are not exactly according to statistics. BP can happen when you've passed early adulthood. Men can get Breast Cancer. CHILDREN CAN HAVE BP.....AND IT IS NOT BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS SPOILED THEM.

I medicate my son. Do you think that I honestly just don't care about my son and I haven't looked into the potential side effects? Does it make me an unfit parent that he obviously needs to be medicated to function and now he can...but he's at risk for weight gain and diabetes? Who's next? Want to tell me that I'm all wrong b/c I check my son's blood sugar on a regular basis? Or am I wrong b/c I HAVE to?

There are only 2 approved mood stabilizers in the US for children. 1 of them didn't work for my son, so I discontinued using it and refused the 2nd b/c it can causes diabetes. A couple of years with a deteriorating condition, and ultimately a hospitalization led to needing to at least try it. AND I'M GLAD I DID. Even with the mood swings he still has, just like us.... he is better than he's been in I couldn't even tell you how long.

I apologize for the length of this post.

HannaHana, not wanting to prolong this particularly but there is a school of thought that says that children cannot have bipolar because their brains are not physically developed to the point where BP can actually appear.

It's a theory and but one that can be used to also account why schizophrenia usually appears at 19. I don't think I've heard of a child with schizophrenia but I may just not be aware of that.

it's a theory, and there may be different types of bipolar - but we really don't know..yet.

I have my own boundaries and limits for my particular daughter that can be movable if the situation becomes severely dire.

Each person has to weigh their options for their situation. Sometimes you may need the meds. Sometimes you may get through the phases.

I just wanted to let you know Katten that my way may not be your way since each situation is unique. The more information you gather the better informed you'll be on which way you want to go. Lots of good info on here today from all sides.

Oh, well in THAT case....I must be wrong. Glad you cleared that up for me.

Can't wait for him to turn 18 and they tell me that it's not BP.

Have twin this boy does--named Richard Horn, aged 7-not quite there yet, but getting there.


A good support team of the psychiatrist, therapist, and the school is good to have.

R. goes to see Dr. Gupta here where I live on April 2nd.

Indeed. UR good to care 4 your son.

It is the condition talking and not him.

Yes'm. I know. Richard is almost this way himself, just quieter.

Hanna, I said it was a theory. I also said there probably different types of BP.

I try to post as sensitively as I can but I also have strong views about this and I should be allowed to express them.

As I said, it's a subject of debate both in the US and elsewhere.

I also worry about evidence for ADHD that long term studies from the US showed that medicating children did not work because the brain at that time simply re-wires so as adults they get no benefit.

I don't want to detract from your own experience and I imply no criticism of you but the whole subject of diagnosing and medicating children as young as 2yrs old bothers me.

Hanna I am not judging you.

I am afraid for my daughter now. I am trying to get thru this with the zoloft. But that is me. You are doing the best you can with what is going on with your child. If my child just can't make it on this I am thinking of Trileptal. But I have to give her some time first and she is doing a little better right now so I need to watch and wait. But still yesterday I got kicked and hit to wear I have bruises on my arms and legs so my situation can be very bad..but the outbursts are lessor than they were just a month or so ago.

Anyways I respect your decision Hanna. This is your child and you have to do the best you can with what the doctors offer you. Meds are necessary in many occasions.

Wow,

what a turn out!! Thank you SOOO much for all your advise and tips and everything!!! I've checked out the various links - truly helpful!! The one you posted, MerryMay, was scary... every single 'symptom' was 'check!'...

Oh well...

THANK YOU!!
Katten

Interesting thread this turned out to be. Like everything else, as parents we do what we think is best.

I believe, as does our PDOC, that mood stablizers saved my daughters life. We can call it whatever anyone wants ... her medical file still states "Undetermined mood disorder, presents as Bi-polar". I don't care what its called, the help she got makes it possible for me to tuck her in bed at night.

Even after all this time, my daughter still shakes her head at WHY she always wanted to commit suicide. SHe is the first to tell you her medicine is life or death for her. Lamictal saved her life and I'm grateful for it.

Hugs to all,

Jill

I'm no expert on this but two things come to mind:

the fact that the dr. said "have you considered bipolar?" -- it's like he's thinking you should diagnose your kid. Maybe that's petty of me, but it seems like they should be able to assess it and have some pretty concrete measurements instead of a "howzabout this?" thing which, well, then anybody can be bipolar, y'know?

Also, there is a pretty big trend nowadays to pathologize kid's behavior. I would be very wary of that. Also, there was a funny Dana Carvey routine where he talked about his little kid just bursting into weird things out of nowhere, like he said "he's walking down the hall and turns into Charlie Callas (a weird old comedian known for his nervous tics). So I'd do a lot of checking around to see how average this behavior is. It may be more common that you think. Then also, there's the obvious thing of sugar intake; kids can act like they're on crack when they eat a lot of it.

Also general well-wishing of hope you get this sorted out ok.

my best friend was dx with bipolar when we were kids but as we grow up she was dx with ODD and it fits her behaviors more.

btw, didn't mean to trivialize or oversimplify upthread. which I sorta did. I guess this is very complicated; it just seems that medicating kids is so problematic. If I had a kid I don't think I'd medicate unless they were suicidal. There must be other methods.