I often speak with parents who are wondering if their children may have Bipolar Disorder. One of my areas of expertise is in diagnosing and treating this illness when it presents in young people and adolescents. While such a diagnosis can be understandably distressing to parents and children, research clearly shows that early intervention and treatment vastly improves outcomes over the long-term.

Here is a really helpful article from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy website outlining warning signs, symptoms and treatment.

Bipolar Disorder in Children & Adolescents

A very important article suggesting we can asses the risk of developing bipolar disorder in children who have parents with the illness by looking for a few key symptom types. It often takes many years to accurately diagnose and treat bipolar disorder and early treatment increases the likelihood of better outcomes.

Symptoms Outdo Diagnoses in Predicting Bipolar Disorder in At-Risk Youth