Editorial Review:

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.

For any caregiver experiencing life with a bipolar child, Demitri and Janice Papolos's The Bipolar Child will be an indispensable reference guide. The material is presented clearly, with lots of helpful charts and lists to aid in receiving proper diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. All medical information is relayed with the aim of helping parents to ensure effective treatment for their children and includes journal-tracking formats to help caregivers provide accurate information to personal physicians. Importantly, many pages are devoted to discussions about the emotional upheavals that living with a bipolar child can bring, and how parents and children can cope most effectively. The book is filled with families' stories that do a beautiful job providing comfort and inspiration to others. A detailed chapter on hospitalization covers everything from insurance to types of treatments. The authors provide excellent information regarding improved educational practices, with step-by-step instructions for goal-setting with your child and communicating your child's needs to school personnel. The Bipolar Child is a satisfying and wise read. --Jill Lightner

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

The Bipolar Child:

This book is a must for understanding why your bipolar child does some of the things they do. We are raising our Grand daughter who is bipolar and it has given me far more information than anything I had read. It gets easier to be more patient and understanding when you realize that the child is not just being defiant and hard to get along with.
Some parts get a little technical, but if you are dealing with a child with this illness you will certainly get your money's worth.

Comprehensive reference for frustrated parents:

Overall, this is a very good book. It contains a good mixture of medical information, real life examples, research findings, and links to resources and support groups. (The later may be especially useful to you.) Unfortunately, the book tries to address too diverse an audience simultaneously. Most of it is for parents, but one chapter is way too technical. At times, it seems like the authors are trying to write to the medical community of therapists and physicans at their level as well as to parents without... more info

Ought to be illegal.:

I wonder why nobody goes to prison over this. Drugging children should be against the law. For whatever reason a child misbehaves, using drugs in any case should be met with the prescriber being imprisoned. My life was literally, not practically, not virtually, but literally ruined by being drugged as a child -- I would had rather been a [...] rape victim, at least then I would have healed. Yet, nobody gets stopped and nobody gets punished. The practice continues, rationalized by horrible people doing... more info

Bi-polar:

I was very happy to find this book during the time that I needed it most. It was definitely a great source of information.

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