Pediatric and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

An increasing body of research suggests the existence of early onset childhood bipolar disorder. The population of pediatric bipolar illness may be small, but current research points to early misdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD, and that attention deficit disorder may masquerade as a harbinger of the mania to come. Since ADD/ADHD estimates range up to 10% of the school population, the notion that ADD/ADHD precedes bipolar disorder leads to a significant increase in diagnosed depressives. This in turn produces an increase in information-seeking behaviors by parents, caregivers, and medical personnel. Variables hindering the information-seeking process include vocabulary, tool failure, co-morbidity, social prejudices, age issues, and environmental factors. This research provides reliable sources, Web sites, databases, key authors, electronic groups, and other accessible medical information in order to better serve the pediatric bipolar community.