The first thing you're probably asking is "What is it?" To answer that question we must first ask "What is bipolar disorder?" It used to be known as "manic-depression", and the condition itself is frightening. You may ask, "Can children really have this disease?" This is a question that is both close to my heart and painful to answer. Unfortunately, that answer is a resounding "Yes."

 Pediatric Bipolar Disorder is a debilitating illness that affects a small percentage of the population. Like the better known "adult" version, it can manifest in several different forms. All are characterized by manias or "highs" in which the moods and thought processes race and soar and by deep depressions or "lows" that often cause even young children to despair of living and become suicidal. In the "milder" cases of the disorder, disruption, confusion, and excessive family tension are common. In the more severe cases, injury, destruction of property, and suicide are seen in its wake. Fully one-half of all people diagnosed with bipolar disorder will attempt to take their life at some point or another, and unfortunately, one-quarter will ultimately succeed. It is not a disease to be taken lightly.

This is my first stab at explaining pediatric bipolar disorder, and I'm sure that there are better and more thorough descriptions out there. This is simply my forum-my place to both educate--and to vent.

If you decide to learn more about this condition, I suggest that you first go check out the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation's website. It can be found at http://www.bpkids.org There I found a lot of information that helped me make sense of what was going on in our family. Their online support groups provided a great source of comfort and information when we needed it the most.

It should be remembered that pediatric bipolar disorder doesn't just affect the child--the whole family suffers. Now, bipolar kids often require a lot of special attention and help to function "normally", but to be fair, they can be some of the most loving and intelligent children you will ever meet. In our home, during those wonderful times of solace, when the medication mix is right and we have that ever-longed-for "stability", my princess is the best person to have at your side. She is extremely considerate and helpful. She's loving and unselfish. She's happy and always right there just as your friend. 

That's probably what makes it so hard when she's having trouble. To see my loving, happy-go-lucky child struggle and suffer is so hard. As a mother, I want my kids to be happy. I want to take away their pain, but I can't begin to touch the kind of pain bipolar disorder causes. No matter how long I hold and comfort her, there are times when I just cannot break through the chemical nightmare that goes on in her brain. I cry; I pray, and I wait for the day when God or medicine offers a breakthrough for my little girl.

Until then, I do what all moms of bipolar kids do- I take it one day at a time. I've learned to enjoy the small times of peace and happiness, because I never know how long it will last. I'm learning how to ignore comments that are unintentionally hurtful from well-meaning people who see my daughter when she's stable and assure me that there's "nothing wrong". I learn to deal with my own anger at the unfairness of it all, and I'm learning how to deal with the pain of watching a child try to grow up in the heart of a whirlwind.

Special Needs Alphabet: ADD,   ADHD,   AS,   DevDel,   EBD,   GAD,   IEP,   OCD,   ODD,   OHI,   PBD,   PDD,   PDD-NOS,   PTSD,   SAD,   SID,   ETC...    

@>~~