Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder in Children

Juan: Hi! My name is Juan. I work in audio visual industry. And I wanted to know if bipolar disorder can be diagnosed in young children?

John Walkup: Juan, yes, bipolar disorder can be assessed in young kids and there are a very small number of kids who actually have bipolar disorder in that younger age group. Again, the criteria are very similar, you're looking for a prominent change in mood, you're looking for a decreased need for sleep, and you're also looking for a deep involvement in activities that sometimes get those youngsters in trouble.

It's very rare in children under 12 and we have, in our community, across the nation identified increasing rates of bipolar disorder.


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