Ok so I got to vent for a second , if you are so anti- medication a child with BP this is a must read!

[Rozanna]

I’m a little confused about some stuff. Some people on this forum leaves post about how we shouldn’t medicate a child who is suffering from BP. Because, they are to young, or because they are so young to be diagnosed with such a label. I want to make a point no matter if our child is BP or not if they have the symptoms of the behavior and the emotional symptoms they needed to be treated.

I’m tired of reading a post about a child showing symptoms or BP and somebody that probably has no idea what a child with BP is capable of to himself or others. Post something about how not to medicate or whatever pops in there headfirst.  Bp kids go through so much especially when they are stressed or having a mood change from their highs to lows.

And if it’s the parents on here posting that you should use medication to medicate our BP kid. If you haven’t had to place your child on medication before to help with his moods, sleep, or aggression. I wonder if you are really dealing with a BP child or a child that has ODD. (Optional Defiant disorder).  

And if you’re a person, parent, or just someone that like to but there two cents worth of thought out there.. I want you to think about something if you had a child suffering with cancer, or a child that has been diagnosed with diabetic. Would you medicate your child or would you just wait to see how much sicker your child will get?

  
My thoughts are :I have a son that is being treated for BP. We have tried many therapies, music, play therapy, and even role model therapy. When nothing else works you have to look at medications.  We have tried many medications on my son but have only fount one that helps with his moods, and his seizures and one that has helped him out with sleep. I would have to say if I didn’t medicate him somewhat not dope him up just enough to take the edge off of some of the behaviors, he might really hurt someone or himself.

*** AND for all the parents that understand what I’m saying please remember to keep your heads up we all are doing what we know and what we feel like we need to keep our children, teens, and all of all Bp kids and other family members safe.*******

[Venora Moonwind]

you do what you feel is best for your child and If the meds work then hooray.I believe in the meds and therapy.I wish I would have been on them years ago.
Blessed be
Love Venora

[Rozanna]

Thanks so much. i get so tired of people posting saying that we shouldn't medicate our children. when they have no idea of what life is truly like with dealing with a child or a loved one suffering from BP disorder......

                    Rozanna

[Jason3211]

As an ADD and Bipolar I diagnosed 21 year-old male, I have been back and forth when it comes to medication.  For parents of ADD children, I really suggest trying counseling and structure before going on a med cycle, but if it does not help then there is nothing wrong with medicines (although it breaks my heart when I see these bright and exuberant children zombified with drugs).

However, when it comes to bipolar disorder, the consequences of non-treatment moves from poor grades and time-outs to serious problems like suicide, hopelessness, and in my case--a feeling of complete detachment.

PARENTS WITH BIPOLAR CHILDREN:  Do not treat the idea of medicating your bipolar child the same as medicating a child with ADD or another milder behavioral disorder, they are not comparable!

[mindersmomof2]

I agree, and thanks for posting. I thinks so many people need to read that ( my family included) Some people have no idea what it's like like living with a child like this every single day. No one wants to babysit my kids ever, so why do they expect me to have to deal with this 100% no help? Some times it gets to the point of needing help with medication, other wise your child could hurt himself or others! Thanks!!!!!!!!!

[DLA]

As an adult who was a child with BP and ADD I say do whatever you need to do to make your child's life better.  I had a horrible child hood suffering from BP!  Not only the things I thought about myself, which were horrid, but the things I did!  I have to live with them now and know that the people I grew up with probably remember these and there is nothing I can do to change this.  

My parents never did anything for me, but considered me sullen and an imbarrassment.  I was always being told to snap out of the depressions there was no reason for me to be that way, or to quit embarrassing our family with my mania phases.

Don't know if I mentioned it before or not, but I had a problem with the "grandiose delusion".  I would tell people things like I had cancer (I was about 12) and I firmly believed it and that I was dying!  Horrible!  

You are doing the very best thing you can for your child!  

Dac

[carter27]

Without knowing the rest of your background, it sounds like you were a hyponchondriac (not quite delusional but an anxietybased disorder nonetheless).

[DLA]

No, it is one of the symptoms of BP disorder.  Some people think that they know famous people or that they are a part of something they are not, CIA or PTA, and some people think they have horrible medical problems.  Guess I could see where you'd think that but it is part of the BP problems.  Didn't even know that this was one until my dx at age 25 and when it came up I finally understood it.  Understanding does not make it easier to live with.

And hypochondria is an attempt at attention.  Not usually an actual belief that you have something, wanting to have something is more like it.  My grandmother had it very badly, know all about it.

[Roey6]

Thank You!!!  I have 2 sons with bipolar disorder.  My 12 year old is in the hospital right now.  It is the first time that he has been in.  My older son (step-son) was in when he was 12.  It can be so hard to know what to do.  I am divorced and the ex doesn't believe in medicating his son.  He is threatening now to take me to court to get custody because I put him in the hospital and I give him meds.  Personally, I think meds are a lot better than death, jail, or anything else that may happen with an untreated bipolar child.  I am so thankful for meds.  The oldest son is turning 18 this month and most people don't even know that he has the disorder because of the meds.  It is amazing.

To those parents who don't think that they should medicated their children, I wish you luck and my prayer is that you don't have a major regret later.

[Roey6]

You obviously have no idea anything about bipolar disorder and raising a child with it.  I pray you never have to experience it.  I feel sorry for the child if you do.

[Delusion]

I agree with you children should be given medication if it helps. However, in very young children my personal opinion is still that their body's are not up to it. When bipolar or schizophrenia manifests itself in a child at the age of 5 no doctor in the whole world will diagnose that child as such because they do not believe it is possible. It is very possible it is just rare.

[ILADVOCATE]

Instead of venting let's discuss this in a factual manner. I have to live with (and I prefer that terminology "suffer from" indicates self pity though with the amount of pain and spasms I have other people might feel this way) advanced tardive dyskinesia. The rate of acquiring tardive dyskinesia to quote my psychopharmocologist is "for the typical antipsychotics 5% per person per year and for the atypical antipsychotics 2.5% per year" and "everyone eventually gets tardive dyskinesia. It depends how bad it is". That's not anti-psychiatry information. You can find that on prescription labels. Same with the rate of acquiring diabetes. There is a higher rate of diabetes among atypical antipsychotics and now that they are being used as mood stabilizers more children are developing diabetes. My concern of course is not children with bipolar taking medication but the fact that anti-psychotics are used as mood stabilizers though in the case of bipolar with psychotic features its warranted. I am gravely concerned when children with autism, which is a developmental disability, not a mental illness are given antipsychotics as "behavioral management". It can't help them recover but just stops acting out episodes and constructive (as long as its not aversive) behavioral psychology is warranted in my opinion to stop this unless of course the child has a psychiatric disorder as well. But I needed antipsychotics all these years as someone with schizoaffective disorder to recover. But if they had been more carefully monitored I wouldn't have developed tardive dyskinesia this advanced and what they are identifying as tardive psychosis (being treated with Zofran). But I am in no manner "anti-psychiatry". As I've put in posts I'm on glycine a glutamate antagonist, a new form of anti-psychotic in Phase II FDA study that won't create tardive dyskinesia or diabetes and promotes a fuller recovery. My psychopharmocologist will be publishing the case study soon in a psychiatric journal. He has approved a form letter that I am allowed to send to providers. I can't print my psychopharmocologist's name but I can say that I recieved a letter with positive feedback from the known psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey. And I sent a letter to Peter Breggin and I'm not sure if he'll respond but perhaps he is not aware that there are anti-psychotics that don't cause (what my psychopharmocologist says is the correct term) synaptic brain damage. Every medication has its concern (for example a child that was a son of a friend of the family developed tardive tourreticism from Ritalin) and some children with mild adhd could do without medication but if a child has mood swings and other symptoms congruent with bipolar I can see a mood stabilizer is warranted. But I'd rather it not be an anti-psychotic as mood stabilizers do not cause tardive dyskinesia and Lamictal is not problematical for diabetes or weight gain. But sometimes there is clear need for an anti-psychotic. But rather than be against anything I'm advocating to have the new anti-psychotics fast tracked so everyone can have the mental recovery I did without the neurological disability. And in Phase II FDA studies the glutamate antagonists are showing favorable results on children as well. So if people have concerns either way why not advocate to get these medications out and that includes for children.

[LeftCoastChick]

I started having symptoms of BP at age 7, my childhood was horrible, which is an understatement.  I saw a pdoc when I was 9,  they refused to medicate me correctly, the pdoc just put me on a trycyclic desipramine,  so please if you have a child that has BP, you are not only helping with behaviours, but the child's suffering.

[monkeyc]

As one of the people who would fall squarely into the camp of not believing in medication for children as young as three for bipolar I guess your comment might be aimed at me somewhat.

However you may take it my opinion is simply an opinion - nothing more and nothing less and I really feel deeply dissapointed in some of the vitriol being sprayed by some people here to people who might disagree with this course of action.  Sad to see frankly and calling people who disagree aholes is simply silly.

The reality is that each and every person here who is bipolar was a bipolar child - you do not contract the disease it is something you are born with.  What some of the posters here have just described may be behaviour we displayed.  Equally it may be behaviour normal kids displayed and that is the problem.

Once diagnosis is made the medications start.  Im sure everyone here has read the side effects of the medication they take every day and knows them by heart, imagine those in a small child.  I have no idea how you would be able to tell a 3 year old that lithium shakes are normal or that the AD they are on makes them go crazy not to mention the major serious side effects.

BTW 12 is not a small child - Bipolar in 10-12 year olds is not rare - my problem is with children under 5 and only that and its not just BP Drugs.

The reality is I dont like small kids taking drugs and its because of the side effects they have, their inability to communicate and the medical communities complete lack of any morality when it comes to drugs - Look at Ritalin which is prescribed to small children all the time.  Does the doctor ever tell parents that its linked to heart attacks in kids?  Or that it has some nasty side effects?  Ritalin is possibly the most over prescribed drug around for kids and it is given out like candy and yet most parents know nothing about the drug and its potential risks.

My position is basically If you are going to give your child a drug of any type KNOW what it can do and what the side effects are intitally and in every phase of treatment.

However.  While I do not agree with drugs for kids it is each and every parents decision and I can well sympathise with those parents  - you are in a tough place and having a sick child is hell - I was one of these kids and my parents went through hell trying to get me help so I do understand - I also took drugs  from the age of 5 until 19 so ive been there myself and of course I take drugs now.  

I dont judge people - and the only thing I will say is that before you put your child on drugs you seek a second opinion and make sure that the diagnosis is right and know ALL of the potential side effects - you must be an informed parent just as those of us with bipolar must be informed patients - other than that I will support anyone in getting the best possible care for themselves and others no matter what.

That is my opinon. As for people who choose to insult or belittle other peoples opinions perhaps its time to start thinking about people as individuals.  

[monkeyc]

Also if I may say when youre about to post a thread saying " I need to vent" which involves making comments on other peoples opinions its a good idea to take a deep breath before posting.

This community thrives and exists because it welcomes everyones opinions and comments openly - this is a place where people post their darkest days and ask for help, where people talk about their feelings, symptoms and even suicidal feelings.

In order for that to work we must try always to respect other people and their opinions and feelings as much as possible - that people will disagree with others is a given however when that moves into the real of personal attacks, insults and abuse it crosses a line which saddens me and I am sure others here.

People have a right to express a valid opinion and valid concerns on subjects - in fact we often ask other posters here to do that when commenting on medications and treatments - none of us are doctors we are all just suffering from the same illness here.

Everyone has a right to express a valid opinion here without fear of being attacked by other people who do not agree with them and if that changes then this community is dead and a lot of people will simply stop posting here.  Not something I want to see here and it should not be behaviour we accept.

Apologies if this sounds offensive or trite - Its not meant to be I am just saddened to see some of the behaviour in this thread from new members to our community when I returned from a break - There are members here who have helped me through some of the darkest days of my recent life and who I care deeply about and Id hate to see this community descend into the abuse and agression some of the other communities on here are.

[MistressNomad]

Well, here's my 2 cents, from someone who began displaying symptoms of bipolar when I was still in pre-school.

I am glad as hell that my parents never medicated me. Seriously. I owe them so much for that.

Yeah, I struggled and I didn't always get everything right. But my parents didn't think that putting their 4-year-old daughter on highly toxic medications for an unreliable diagnosis was any way to make me feel better. And they were totally right.

I was initially diagnosed as ADHD. That was a common mistake back then - this was 15 years ago. I was diagnosed with that, later depression, later anxiety and paranoia, and finally bipolar. But it doesn't matter what the diagnosis was, wrong or right. The fact was that I was a highly intelligent child, and that the drugs they wanted to put me on could permanently damage my body and mind.

At the end of the day, my father (who mostly raised me) made the judgment call. He could either drug me until I was too numb to be disruptive, or he could dedicate all of his time and energy to making me understand myself and giving me a chance to live productively with my mental health issues. He chose the latter, and I think him every damn day for it. I am so much stronger because of what he did.

Ultimately, not every child (or adult) could handle the way I did it. I'm not saying medication is wrong. I'm just saying that every person is unique, and you can't say that what's good for one is good for another. In my case, my symptoms appeared when I was very young, but they progressed slowly. It wasn't until my teens that they started getting out of hand, and by then I was old enough to dictate how I wanted to deal with it. I grew up understanding that I was different, and that I had a very big personality that I had to be careful with. But my dad also made sure I knew that I am intelligent enough to know the right thing to do - even if "the right thing to do" is to ask someone else what I should do if I don't feel sane enough to decide myself.