The Bipolar Child (Third Edition): The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder

Since it first appeared on bookshelves, The Bipolar Child has made an indelible mark on the field of psychiatry and has become the resource that families rely upon. Now, with more than 200,000 copies sold, the first book about early-onset bipolar disorder is completely revised and expanded. Bipolar disorder—manic depression—was once thought to be rare in children. Now researchers are discovering not only that bipolar disorder can begin early in life, but that it is much more common than ever imagined. Yet the illness is often misdiagnosed and mistreated with medications that can exacerbate the symptoms. Why? Bipolar disorder manifests itself differently in children than in adults, and in children there is an overlap of symptoms with other childhood psychiatric disorders. As a result, these kids may be labeled with any of a number of psychiatric conditions: “ADHD,” “depression,” “oppositional defiant disorder,” “obsessive-compulsive disorder,” or “generalized anxiety disorder.” Too often they are treated with stimulants or antidepressants—medications that can actually worsen the bipolar condition. Since the publication of its first edition, The Bipolar Child has helped many thousands of families get to the root cause of their children’s behaviors and symptoms and find what they need to know. The Papoloses comprehensively detail the diagnosis, explain how to find good treatment and medications, and advise parents about ways to advocate effectively for their children in school. In this edition, a greatly expanded education chapter describes all the changes in educational law due to the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), and offers a multitude of ideas for parents and educators to help the children feel more comfortable in the academic environment. The book also contains crucial information about hospitalization, the importance of neuropsychological testing (with a recommended battery of tests), and the world of insurance. Included in these pages is information on promising new drugs, greater insight into the special concerns of teenagers, and additional sections on the impact of the illness on the family. In addition, an entirely new chapter focuses on major advances taking place in the field of molecular genetics and offers hope that researchers will better understand the illness and develop more targeted and easier-to-tolerate medicines. The Bipolar Child is rich with the voices of parents, siblings, and the children themselves, opening up the long-closed world of the families struggling with this condition. This book has already proved to be an invaluable resource for parents whose children suffer from mood disorders, as well as for the professionals who treat and educate them, and this new edition is sure to continue to light the way.

About the Author :
is an associate professor of psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and the codirector of the Program in Behavioral Genetics. He is the director of research of the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation, and is in private practice in New York City and Westport, Connecticut. janice papolos is the author of three other books, all recognized as definitive in their fields, and is the editor of the highly respected Bipolar Child Newsletter. The Papoloses are the authors of the classic text Overcoming Depression, now in its third edition. They live in Westport, Connecticut. Visit their Web site at www.bipolarchild.com.

Review :
“Demitri and Janice Papolos have broken important new ground by taking on the challenging problem of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. This book balances scientific and clinical knowledge with moving personal accounts of experiences of real families.” —Ross J. Baldessarini, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School “The Bipolar Child is a well-organized, practical, and authoritative book by highly knowledgeable authors. It fills a huge void and will be extremely helpful for families.” —E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., Executive Director, Stanley Medical Research Institute “The strengths of the book are its poignant accounts of difficult-to-manage children, its exposition of much current thinking about early-onset bipolar disorder, and its comprehensive approach toward the needs of children and families. The authors’ tone is that of concerned experts who are aware of the emotional and practical obstacles confronting parents in obtaining help for their children.” —Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (A. Reese Abright, M.D.) “Parents of my patients with bipolar disorder who have read the book returned to treatment with the whole family and have become active change agents at home, in school, and in our local government. Reading the book fuels an enlightened advocacy for the appropriate treatment modalities described by the authors in clear, simple, and concise terms.” —American Journal of Psychiatry (Truce T. Ordona, M.D.) “The Papoloses have somehow managed to climb into the minds of the parents of bipolar children and answer our tremendous number of questions . . . Finally, parents of bipolar children have a book that will help them find hope!” —S. M. Tomie Burke, Founder, Parents of Bipolar Children and BPParent Listserv