Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

The growing interest in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in youth has sparked subsequent interest and controversy related to the appropriate treatment of the disorder in this population. As such, authoritative bodies like the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) have recently published practice parameters regarding the treatment of early-onset bipolar disorder. These guidelines advocate for first-line, primary psychopharmacological treatment with adjunct psychosocial therapy (McClellan et al., 2007).