What's wrong with that kid?

Bipolar is one of those things that can be overlooked, as a diagnosis, for a very long time. There is the suggestion that Bipolar may lay dormant, only making it's presence known for the first time during a particularly stressful experience, or a series of extremely stressful moments. Some studies indicate that Bipolar is always present though the symptoms may be quite insignificant and therefore not observed, nor voiced, by the unaware victim of Bipolar, either due to age or ignorance of the disorder. (I don't mean ignorance in a bad way. Many people know little or nothing of Bipolar if it has not entered their lives.)

What is a constant fact is that once the subject comes up, there is no doubt that there are as many mysteries to the syndrome as there are those who live with Bipolar everyday. Mysteries as to how we get it, how it effects us, how to control it, and whether there ever can be a cure for it. There is so much to know, and so much more to learn on the subject.

www.nami.com

You can use this link to get an idea of just how much information is out there. Another useful place to gather information on Bipolar is NAMI, the "National Alliance On Mental Illness". NAMI is linked on the above site, so I see no reason to include a link here. (Please forgive my laziness.) You may also research what NAMI has to say about Bipolar and Children there. I won't rehash they're information, but instead, I will relay some observations and experiences that may or may not help. Perhaps there may be something here that may make someone say, "That's familiar!"

What's wrong with that kid? We have all seen it, walking through a Department strore, you see a child, laying on his back. Slamming his or her feet on the ground, slapping the floor with flailing arms, eyes tightly closed, followed by a wide eyed scream that can be heard by your dog, six miles away, and the hysterical crying and pleading for the toy or food item that has caught their attention. The dreaded temper tantrum. You know, the "Oh my Goid, get up before everyone in the store comes over to see how I am torturing you." tantrum that pushes even the most mild mannered parent to the edge of insanity. Am I saying that children who throw temper tantrums are Bipolar? Nope. Not at all. It is not that simple, nor is diagnosing Bipolar, especially in children. Though, it may mean there is a chance. Overreaction to stimulus is a Bipolar trait. Where do the similarities end? Is a misbehaving child a signal of Bipolar traits? Sometimes. Sometimes not. (Sometimes the kid is just a brat!)

Most of the diagnosis of Bipolar requires relaying information to a professional. Something rather difficult for a child either too young to understand or relay such information. Putting yourself at a child's level, try to relay the "racing thoughts" thing to anyone, or try to imagine how a child would know since it is the way they always have thought. They know nothing else and have no idea what "Normal" and "non-normal" is. What a dilemma.

No! Wait! Maybe there is something you can try. Observation. Sounds very sterile and clinical, and that is not the observation I am speaking of. I mean the "get to really know" kind of observation that comes from those closest to the child. Watching for signs of a possible problem. Really!

For example;

A toddler seems to have a problem putting their bottle, or sip-pi-cup, successfully on the end table. The child always seems to over or under reach the table. Why? Spastic kid? Could be, but if you put your hand out and the child still misses, could that mean a possible vision problem? Maybe a hand eye coordination thing. Who knows, but only from further observation and experimentation will you begin to come up with viable possibilities. (Maybe he or she is just a klutzy kid!)

So where's this experience stuff I mentioned? Well, I will tell you this. There isn't allot there in memories of my child hood, but there are certain things that do stand out, upon reflection of events I do remember. Things I experienced or felt, that at the time had no meaning to me, but do now Things I later came to find out that were not normal experiences or thoughts that other children of the same age had. Only after talking to other Bipolar persons did I find that we had very similar experiences, and thoughts. Bipolar effected our childhoods in similar ways.

For as long as I can remember, I had problems sleeping. I still do from time to time. Sometimes my mind just refuses to let go. I, for instance, will go over a piece I have written, or am working on, over and over again. Or mull over idea after idea on a possible new article or hub. When I was younger, it was other things that would keep going on and on. Events and conversations during the day, school things. It was not unusual (to the delight of my parents) for my lights to be on from 2 in the morning till school time with me doing something. Alphabetising my albums, sketching, writing, or building something. These were the things I did so my brain wouldn't drive me crazy in the dark. If I just laid there and tried to sleep, I knew what would happen. It always did, but no-one understood.

These headaches would come. They were the worst. They made migraines look like a walk in the park. Evidently I had always had them. As an infant, I apparently would wake in the night and let out a blood curdling scream at all hours of the night, or day, for absolutely no reason. I can't say why to this day, but if it was anything to do with the headaches I can remember getting as a young boy, I think I know why I screamed. I was checked from stem to stern as an infant after a couple of those screaming episodes, and nothing was found. There were no physical reasons for such behavior. The episodes continued, and at around two to three, night terrors also joined the ranks of popular nocturnal scream fests. (What a bunch of zombies we were. Me, cause I couldn't sleep much, and them cause they couldn't sleep at all with all the screaming going on.)

At the tender age of seven, the ulcers started. Yup. You read it right. A peptic ulcer at the age of seven. And some kind of ickey green "Nerve Medicine". At nine, since things were not going so well in the headache and sleep department, a two week stay in a Children's Hospital in Montreal again came up empty handed with any cause for the ailments afflicting me. Believe me when I say, they tested for everything short of alien abduction. Results. It was found after two weeks of testing, 28 blood tests, an upper and lower GI, X-rays, EKG,s, and all that other stuff, I had an allergy to orange juice. (By the way, those findings were false. I drink it all the time.)

(For those of you who have read some of my other Hubs, you may have noticed a distrust for the "Professionals", as I term them. Is there now any wonder why?)

The reason I relayed this to you is simple. Some signs of Bipolar are, restlessness, inability to sleep, racing thoughts. If these facts were known when i was young, would that have meant an earlier diagnosis. No, not necessarily, but they certainly are notable, and a sign there may be something up. Something to watch for. Now I am not saying if you have a child who likes to sit in their crib at three in the morning, playing with their feet that they are Bipolar. I am saying that it is not normal for them to do every-night.

Some of the observations a parent or teacher make can assist in helping diagnose particular problems. ADHD, ADD, and the like. But beware, for there are carry over symptoms that can be identified as each of these, as well as Bipolar.

An older child is far easier to observe for possible Bipolar characteristics. Is the child a loner? Does he or she like to play away from the other children. Are they unusually shy? Do they insist on being the center of attention? Do they tend to get carried away while at play? Does the child have an over active imagination or are they a dare devil with no fear? Does the child talk from sun up to sun down, or have subtle nervous ticks like putting their hair in their mouth, or twirling a particular hunk of hair, or clear their throat or cough when it is apparent it is not necessary? Does the child suddenly stop and seem to stare off to nowhere, then continue on as though nothing has happened? Does the child have a mannerism you can not otherwise explain? All questions needing observation and thought to answer.

I believe that getting to know and understand the child is the first step in answering whether or not Bipolar can be diagnosed correctly in a child. However, I do question labeling someone at the beginning of their life with something that draws such a stigma. It is a tough enough cross to bare for many adults until they begin to understand their ailment. Because I do, I no longer fear it, but deal with it, every moment of everyday. Some days are better than others, but all are still good days when you think of the alternative.

Just so you can't say you didn't learn anything here, did you know that Ralph Waldo Emerson and William Faulkner were Bipolar? How about Dick Cavett? Yup, it's true. Well, Happy Bipolaring, till next time.