Childhood onset bipolar disorder

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Early onset bipolar is overdiagnosed. Make sure you see somebody who knows what they are talking about and is a careful diagnostician. There is a local expert, a woman associated with NIMH, whom I was told is the best person in the area. I can't remember her name, but I'll look it up and post later.

If her name is Beth, I have already spoken to her and she agreed with the diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the update, OP. I'm so very sorry you and your family are going through this. I can only imagine how difficult it is for you. Please know tht I'm thinking of you and wishing you the best. If you ever need a kind word or a pat on the back, please post back. You're really doing an amazing job.

[Anonymous]

Have you ruled out dysautonomia? It refers to a disorder of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. Most physicians view dysautonomia in terms of failure of the sympathetic or parasympathetic components of the ANS, but dysautonomia involving excessive ANS activities also can occur.

I know a family who have had an 8-year-old daughter misdiagnosed first with depression and then with bipolar disorder only to be later correctly diagnosed this past year at the age of 12 with dysautonomia caused by Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). The family and the little girl have gone through the wringer and are now trying to deal with the physical issues that cause the mental symptoms from a tough starting point after wasted years.

These two articles talk about two boys with POTS who are older (one boy's problems started when he was 12 the other when he was 13) but dysautonomia knows no age limits.
See "Ailment Can Steal Youth From the Young" New York Times, Oct 17, 2011 www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/health/18brody.html
and "Migraines, Memory Loss: Was it all in his Head?" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/12/AR2010021204444.html

[Anonymous]

OP I hear you about the inlaws not getting it. We are dealing with a lot milder issue and I just want to hit my head into the wall way too often.

There is a book out there called We've Got Issues by Judith Warner that I found very helpful in understanding the cultural context of the skepticism and why it is so problematic. You may even want to send it to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I hear you about the inlaws not getting it. We are dealing with a lot milder issue and I just want to hit my head into the wall way too often.

There is a book out there called We've Got Issues by Judith Warner that I found very helpful in understanding the cultural context of the skepticism and why it is so problematic. You may even want to send it to them.

Thanks for the rec. I may just send that to them as a belated Christmas present.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm so sorry for what you are all going through. You sound like a very committed pro-active Mom and I wish you all the best.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I thought I would give another quick update. DS is doing very well. Thee 8 days in the hospital was exactly what he needed. As luck would have it his Psychiatrist at the hospital followed us to the private practice we were already using. He replaced our old doctor who had to step away from practices because of medical issues. This new doctor has seen my boy at his absolute worse and was able to get him to be the sweet boy he always was. I couldn't even tell you the last time my boy had bitten or punched me. It's been beautiful. I know it will not last forever and that there will be other stints in the rest clinic but I am OK with that.

[Anonymous]

OP, So glad to hear things are in peaceful phase right now!

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the update, OP! I'm so happy to hear how things have gone!

[Anonymous]

+1!

So glad things are better.

[Anonymous]

Thanks you. It's good to be able so share good news.

[Anonymous]

That's wonderful, OP! Thanks for sharing the good news!

[Anonymous]

I posted this elsewhere but really want people to know about this terrific doc!

Dr Daisy Pascualvaca is AMAZING. She worked wonders with my child. I really adored her. She did hours upon hours of testing -HERSELF and with her partner--No grad students

The office is lovely and happy and bright and my daughter said she liked it way more than school--even the tests that she wasn't good at.

Dr Daisy has a lovely warm comforting manner with kids. Very down to earth and just cool. And with parents, she is so smart yet reassuring.

HIGHLY recommend.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

I thought that I would give yet another update.

DS was committed again about five months ago. The three days he spent at the stress clinic didn't seem to be as helpful as his first visit the year before.

He has been doing really until about three weeks ago. He developed some paranoia and hallucinations. Docs assured me it's normal and they don't believe his diagnosis has changed. He's just become very fearful of everything and won't go to the bathroom alone. This has caused more than a few accidents. He even tried to grab a knife so he could kill himself. They are all hidden now which makes it difficult to make dinner.

He hasn't been to school for two weeks and when I talked to the school, and explained what's going on, they said not to bother bringing him until after Spring break. They don't want to stress him with the things he missed and his class will start with all new material when school resumes.

We've adjusted his meds but if it doesn't seem to work then he's going to have to go inpatient again so they can figure his meds out.

[Anonymous]

I am so sorry, OP. How terrible. I hope the med adjustment helps!!