The Childhood Bipolar Disorder Answer Book: Practical Answers to the Top 300 Questions Parents Ask

322 Pages·2008·1 MB·English

by  Tracy Anglada

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—Demitri F. Papolos, MD, and Janice Papolos, authors of Th e Bipolar Child

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Co-written by a doctor and a mother whose children live with bipolar I DISORDER
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Tracy Anglada is the founder and
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Sheryl M. Hakala, MD, provides both ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1177-5
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organized psychiatry and has authored EA Anglada (cid:2) How can I improve
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TRACY ANGLADA and SHERYL M. HAKALA, MD Susan Ashley, PhD
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Copyright © 2008 by Tracy Anglada and Sheryl M. Hakala, MD
Cover and internal design © 2008 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover photo © iStockphoto.com/Jani Bryson
Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher,
Sourcebooks, Inc.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the
subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in
rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is
required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of
Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of
Publishers and Associations
This book is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified physician. The intent
of this book is to provide accurate general information in regard to the subject matter covered. If
medical advice or other expert help is needed, the services of an appropriate medical professional
should be sought. This book does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.
All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade
names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in
this book.
Published by Sourcebooks, Inc.
P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567–4410
(630) 961–3900
Fax: [phone]
www.sourcebooks.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Anglada, Tracy.
The childhood bipolar disorder answer book : practical answers to the top 300 questions parents
ask / by Tracy Anglada and Sheryl Hakala.
p. cm. ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1987-0
Includes bibliographical references.
1. Manic-depressive illness in children—Miscellanea. 2. Manic-depressive illness in children—
Popular works. I. Hakala, Sheryl. II. Title.
RJ506.D4A54 2008
618.92'895--dc22
2008022928
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
BG 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
Chapter 1: Understanding Childhood Bipolar Disorder . . . . . . . .1
Chapter 2: Spotting the Symptoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Chapter 3: Evaluation and Diagnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Chapter 4: Working with Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Chapter 5: Medication Trials and Tribulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Chapter 6: Living with Meds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Chapter 7: Complementary and Alternative Treatment . . . . . .103
Chapter 8: Pros and Cons of Alternative Treatments . . . . . . . .117
Chapter 9: Learning and Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Chapter 10: Your Child at School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Chapter 11: Hospitalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Chapter 12: Intense Parenting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Chapter 13: Helping Your Child Find His Way . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Chapter 14: Parental Emotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227
Chapter 15: Teens and Difficult Behaviors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
Chapter 16: The Path to Adulthood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259
Appendix A: Reading Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273
Appendix B: No-Suicide Action Plan Template . . . . . . . . . . . .275
Appendix C: Action Plan Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276
Appendix D: Crisis Plan Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277
Appendix E: Self-Care Plan Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278
Appendix F: Child’s Action Plan Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302
About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312
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Acknowledgments
This book was the result of collaboration between a dedicated physician
and an advocate mother. We would like to join in giving thanks to our
families and friends who support and inspire us. We would also like to
thank our publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc., for printing this important infor-
mation. Thank you to Shana Drehs for bringing this project to us. Thank
you to Peter Lynch for his efforts to make it a reality. Thank you to our
editor, Erin Nevius, for smoothing out the rough edges, and to our
proofreaders for their wonderful suggestions. Finally, we would like to
thank our readers, who make it all worthwhile.
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Introduction
Bipolar disorder has long been recognized in the adult population; and
yet, more than half of these adult sufferers report the onset of symptoms
before age eighteen. Despite this recognition, childhood bipolar disorder
continues to be hotly debated, and it can be hard to find real, helpful
answers. Whether you are worrying that your child may have bipolar
disorder, are dealing with a newly diagnosed child, are worried about
misdiagnosis, or are an old hand at the disorder who is simply looking for
some fresh ideas, you have tough issues and questions that deserve
straightforward, no-nonsense answers.
This book has been written to give you those answers based on the
most up-to-date information the field has to offer. The questions and
answers were a joint effort by a mother who has been in nearly every
parenting stage of bipolar disorder, from very young children to teenagers,
and a medical doctor who treats the condition and sees a wide variety of
patients with the illness. This combination of personal experience and
medical expertise has resulted in a medically accurate picture with a first-
hand intimate knowledge of what parents really want and need to know.
Each author adds a unique perspective and a wealth of usable information
to the book. If you have ever wanted to sit with an experienced mother
and a physician side by side, to ask them endless questions, and to get real
answers for your everyday life, this is the book for you. It will serve as a
reference for years to come as you go through various stages of your
child’s life and illness. Whenever possible, the authors have sought to give
you tips, suggestions, and advice that have been proven to work for others.
Please note that for ease of reading and writing, pronouns in the book are
in the male gender but apply equally to females. No discrimination is
intended by this usage. Please refer to Appendix A and the References
section for more information on books, studies, and journals mentioned
throughout the text.
The book contains plans to assist you in taking what you have learned
and moving your child toward success. The authors recognize that each
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viii The Childhood Bipolar Disorder Answer Book
plan is very individual, but the goal should always be for the personal
assessments to help you examine your own child’s situation and put
into place both short-term and long-term goals to help your family.
The answers in this book were written with the recognition that your
time is precious. We know you may be reading in between dealing with
difficult situations. In respect for this, we have tried to be extremely
concise and to the point. The book may be read from cover to cover, but
it has been designed so that you can pick it up, read an answer to any
question that concerns you, and have immediate access to the specific
information you need. It is our hope that this book will prove to be a
constant resource for you.
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■ What is childhood bipolar disorder?
■ How does it differ from adult onset?
■ How is onset in late teens different?
■ How might my child exhibit mania?
■ How might my child exhibit depression?
■ How might my child exhibit a mixed state?
■ Is my child hallucinating or imagining?
■ Why does my child draw gory pictures?
■ Why is my child fearful?
■ Why is my child so irritable?
■ Why is my child angry?
■ What is a “rage”?
■ Do rages and temper tantrums differ?
■ Why does my child have trouble getting out of bed in the morning?
■ Is suicide a real risk?