Everyone can relate to the word mood. We are all happy, excited, sad or depressed at some point in our lives. For the one percent or twenty million Americans who have this condition it can mean hospitalizations, a life time of medication, disability at an early age and the reduced income associated with it. Bipolar Affective Disorder can be life threatening. Bipolar Disorder is an illness of mood, or affect.
Children often cycle many times during one day, a condition known as ultra-ultra rapid cycling.
The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown. Recent studies have shown that heredity plays a major role. The symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are not the same as those in adults other than the alternating mood swings, and these may be overlooked. Although many of the symptoms of the two disorders are the same, their origins differ. Once the child is stable, therapy to help him understand the nature of the illness and how it affects him is critical.