Bipolar disorder is characterized by an inability to control mood, with individuals who have the disorder showing a range of mood symptoms from mania, euphoric mood to depression. The presence of the disorder in children tends to be more severe than in adults. The treatment of bipolar disorder in children is similar to that of adults, but relies more heavily on parent involvement. In general, children receive medication along with some form of psychotherapy, which often involves parents or families in treatment.
Mood Stabilizing Medication
Medication is often the most effective way to treat the extreme mood symptoms of children with bipolar disorder. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, mood stabilizers are the most commonly prescribed medicine for bipolar disorder. These include lithium and anticonvulsant medications such as Depakote. Lithium is the medication most commonly given to children and adolescents, according to Robert Weis, author of "Introduction to Child and Adolescent Psychology," and it acts to alter neurotransmitters in the brain and thus control mood.
Atypical Antipsychotic and Antidepressant Medication
Other medications that can be helpful are atypical antipsychotics and antidepressants. As discussed by Weis, atypical antipsychotics may be added to a mood stabilizer for children who display extreme symptoms of mania or psychotic behavior. These may include Abilify, Seroquel and Risperdal. Antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zoloft, may also be added to treatment with a mood stabilizer. However, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, these drugs may be no more effective than taking a mood stabilizer alone.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
This type of therapy helps children with bipolar disorder to alter their negative ways of thinking and change their behaviors. Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves children, their parents and their physicians. As described by Weis, a clinical psychologist, therapy strives to teach children how to cope with stress, communicate with others, take their medication regularly, control their moods, regulate their sleep and interact with their family. Therapists help children to recognize events that lead to strong emotional reactions and to restructure negative thoughts. Another important component is learning to interact positively with others through expressing feelings.
Family-Focused Therapy
This type of therapy emphasizes the importance of parents working with their child to prevent a relapse in symptoms. Weis states that parents are educated about the nature of the disorder and the impact that stress in the child's environment has on their mood in this form of therapy. Parents are encouraged to help their child take medication regularly. Communication is another key factor, wherein parents and children learn how to interact positively and listen to one another. Parents and children are also encouraged to work as a family to solve problems. The National Institute of Mental Health found that adolescents who received this kind of treatment recovered from depressive episodes more quickly than those who received different interventions.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: How is Bipolar Disorder Treated?
- "Introduction to Abnormal Child and Adolescent Psychology"; Robert Weis; 2008
- National Institute of Mental Health: Family-Focused Therapy Effective in Treating Depressive Episodes of Bipolar Youth
