People with bipolar disorder will experience changes in mood, shifting back and forth from mania to depression. Children can experience these changes in mood many times throughout a single day, which may significantly impact their daily functioning at home, school and with their peers, reports the MayoClinic.com. According to the MayoClinic.com, bipolar disorder in children occurs in about 1 percent of the population and is higher for those children who possess certain risk factors.
Genetics
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or the AAACAP, research on bipolar disorder has indicated a strong genetic component; bipolar disorder has been found to run in families and adoption studies have furthered the support of genetics as a cause for developing bipolar disorder. Although genetics increases the risk of developing bipolar disorder, the AAACAP notes that there is not one single gene to blame and it might be various genes that contribute to the risk.
Stress
Stressful life events have been known to contribute to the onset of bipolar disorder in children who are already genetically vulnerable, reports the AAACAP. The stressful events are not limited to negative life events, good and bad stresses, such as changing school, abuse, divorce and the birth of a new sibling can trigger an episode of bipolar disorder, according to the HelpGuide.org.
Neuropsychological Deficits
The AAACAP notes that children with bipolar disorder tend to use their brain differently than other children. Children with bipolar disorder have deficits in the areas of their brain that control judgment, planning and impulse control, reports the AAACAP. These children are unable to think before they act and do not take the time to consider consequences. The development of bipolar disorder in a child might be a result of variation in brain function that is present even when the child is not experiencing bouts of mania or depression, according to the AAACAP.
Seasonal Changes
Changes in the season have been known to trigger the development of bipolar disorder. According to the HelpGuide.org, episodes of mania and depression can tend to follow the pattern of the seasons. They go on to point out that manic episodes are more likely to occur during the summer months, while depression is more likely in the fall, winter and spring.
Sleep
Lack of sleep or bouts with sleep deprivation has been known to cause an episode of mania, reports the HelpGuide.org. For some people it only takes a few hours of sleep loss for a manic episode to develop.
