Your Child Does Not Have Bipolar Disorder: How Bad Science and Good Public Relations Created the Diagnosis(Childhood in America)

An eminent child psychiatrist provides an insider's, whistle-blowing perspective on the promotion of a diagnostic entity that does not exist. Your Child Does Not Have Bipolar Disorder: How Bad Science and Good Public Relations Created the Diagnosis examines this diagnostic fad through a variety of lenses. Author Stuart L. Kaplan, MD, draws heavily on his forty years of experience as a clinician, researcher, and professor of child psychiatry to make the argument that bipolar disorder in children and adolescents is incorrectly diagnosed and incorrectly treated. As Dr. Kaplan explains, the dramatic rise in this particular diagnosis is not based on scientific evidence, nor does it reflect any new discovery or insight about the etiology or treatment of the disorder. In fact, the opposite is the case: the scientific evidence against the existence of child bipolar disorder is so strong that it is difficult to imagine how it has gained the endorsement of anyone in the scientific community. Your Child Does Not Have Bipolar Disorder: How Bad Science and Good Public Relations Created the Diagnosis explains to parents and professionals the faulty reasoning and bad science behind the misdiagnosis of childhood bipolar disorder. Dr. Kaplan critiques the National Institute of Mental Health, academic child psychiatry, the pharmaceutical industry, and the media for their respective roles in advocating this diagnosis. He describes very clearly what the children and adolescents actually do have, explains how it should be treated, and provides real-life clinical scenarios and approaches to treatment that work.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Introduction PART I. CRITIQUE OF PEDIATRIC BIPOLAR DISORDER 1 Adult Bipolar Disorder and the DSM System Adult Bipolar Disorder The DSM System 2 Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Pediatric Bipolar Disorder as ADHD and ODD The Development of the Diagnosis of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder in the Very Young One Authoritative View 3 Some Studies of the Scientific Basis of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Genetics Age of Onset: Family Studies Age of Onset: Self-Report Epidemiology Treatment or Prevention? 4 Cultural Influences in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder How Culture Helps Shape Mental Illness Pediatric Bipolar Disorder as a Media Event Professional Support for the Diagnosis Psychological Consequences of Misdiagnosis Conclusion 5 Child and Adolescent Depression: A Brief Introduction Diagnosing Depression in Children and Adolescents The Diagnosis of Depression in Children and Adolescents and DSM-IV Criteria Suicide Depression and Bipolar Disorder Conclusion 6 Did Romeo and Juliet Have Bipolar II Disorder? Bipolar Disorder in Adolescence Romeo and Juliet Aggression and the Misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in an Adolescent Bipolar Disorder in an Adolescent Conclusion PART II. MEDICATIONS AND PEDIATRIC BIPOLAR DISORDER 7 Three Medications for Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Lithium Valproate Risperidone Conclusion 8 Clinical Trials A Change in Clinical Child Psychiatry Introduction to Clinical Trials Multisite Clinical Trials Example of a Clinical Trial Conclusion 9 Bad Science The Importance of Falsification Diagnostic Errors Mixing Apples and Oranges Chicken or Egg? Conclusion 10 Stimulant Medications Ethical Considerations Increase of Use in Stimulant Medication The MTA Study Stimulant Risks Conclusion PART III. ADVICE FOR PARENTS 11 Medication Advice for Parents Stimulant Medications Antipsychotic Medications 12 A Family-Based Behavior Modification Program for Oppositional Children Reinforcing Bad Behavior The Behavior Modification Program: An Overview Stage I: Rewards List Stage II: Misbehavior List Stage III: Baseline Data Stage IV: Implementation Family Therapy Considerations For Parents Only Afterword by Sharna Olfman, PhD Index

About the Author :
Stuart L. Kaplan, MD, is clinical professor of psychiatry at Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA.

Review :
Your Child Does Not Have Bipolar Disorder is a well-organized and readable critique of the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder that presents strong evidence that bipolar disorder does not exist in children under the age of 12. . . . We recommend this book for child psychiatrists, parents, pediatricians, general practitioners, and other health professionals who treat this difficult pediatric population. With the ongoing controversy surrounding the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder, it is imperative that health professionals take the initiative to educate themselves, and this book is a welcome vehicle to guide critical appraisal of the relevant literature from Dr. Kaplan's perspective. It could also serve as an invaluable tool for parents struggling with difficult-to-manage children and perhaps provide some guidance and clarity around more appropriate diagnosis and evidence-based interventions.