- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, board certified in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, is a St. Louis native looking to the Internet as a way to help people improve their health and be more active participants in their own health care by learning from Mayo Clinic's experts.
Dr. Hall-Flavin has been a member of the faculties of Cornell University Medical College, New York Medical College, and The George Washington University Medical School before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 1996. He has special interests in adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and psychogenomics. He has served as medical director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence from 1986 to 1999.
"With the advent of the genomics and proteomics revolution and the pace of advances in medicine, informed collaborative relationships between knowledgeable, capable health professionals and informed, proactive individuals and their families are more vital than ever," he said.
"I'm optimistic that our Internet health education activities will contribute to ever-improving health outcomes for all who participate and apply what is learned."
Tests and diagnosis (1)
- Bipolar disorder in children: Is it possible?
Complications (1)
- Bipolar disorder and alcoholism: Are they related?
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Question
Bipolar disorder in children: Is it possible?
Is bipolar disorder in children possible? Most of what I've read says bipolar disorder develops in adults.
Answer
from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Although most research on bipolar disorder has focused on adults, historical data suggest that the overall prevalence of bipolar disorder in children is about 1 percent of the population — a rate similar to that of bipolar disorder in adults. The risk of bipolar disorder is higher for children who have a family history of the condition.
Bipolar disorder causes severe mood swings, from mania to depression. For children, these mood swings may happen many times a day — causing severe difficulties in daily functioning at home, at school and with peers. Destructive outbursts, school absences, and changes in school performance and relationships with peers are common.
During a manic episode, a child who has bipolar disorder may:
- Believe that he or she has special abilities or talents
- Become agitated
- Have a severely negative, petulant mood
- Be unusually happy or silly
- Have trouble concentrating, quickly bouncing from one activity to the next
- Have less need for sleep than usual
- Engage in impulsive or risky behavior, such as substance abuse
During a depressive episode, a child who has bipolar disorder may:
- Appear sad or depressed
- Complain of headaches or other physical ailments
- Lose interest in favorite activities
Diagnosing bipolar disorder in children can be challenging. Some symptoms of bipolar disorder may initially be mistaken as normal mood swings or other mental health conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or conduct disorder. If you suspect that your child may have bipolar disorder, consult a mental health professional who specializes in child psychiatry. Early intervention can help prevent serious consequences and improve the lifelong course of bipolar disorder.
Next questionBipolar disorder and alcoholism: Are they related?
- Can children and adolescents have bipolar disorder? National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/can-children-and-adolescents-have-bipolar-disorder.shtml. Accessed Aug. 21, 2008.
- Child and adolescent bipolar disorder. National Alliance on Mental Illness. http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=13107. Accessed Aug. 21, 2008.
- Bipolar disorder in children and teens. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/bipolar_disorder_in_children_and_teens. Accessed Aug. 21, 2008.
- Kowatch RA, et al. Treatment guidelines for children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2005;44(3):213-235.
- Geller B, et al. Prepubertal and early adolescent bipolarity differentiate from ADHD by manic symptoms, grandiose delusions, ultra-rapid or ultradian cycling. Journal of Affective Disorders. 1998;51(2):81-92.
- Lewinsohn PM, et al. Adolescent psychopathology: I. Prevalence and incidence of depression and other DSM-III-R disorders in high school students. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 1993;102(1):133-144.
