Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely Marvelous!
Review: This book is so long over due. It should be required reading for all health care providers, social workers, psychiatrist, psychologists, counselors, educators, juvenile courts, and anyone else who remotely interacts with children. I believe that if the above professionals read this book with an open mind, more children would get a better chance at success in life as opposed to life in prison. It was so eerie yet comforting to hear my childhood nightmares in the pages of this book. I just assumed everyone dreamt in vivid color with graphic details of horror, blood, and died in their dreams as I have. The demonic dreams were especially disturbing to me and now I understand that I am not under attack by satan and that it is just another facet of the disorder I have. I am now 35 years of age and still must have some type of light to sleep. This book helped me understand myself better as a child and will assist me in understanding my daughter (15), who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It is so comforting to understand and be understood. It has allowed me to understand my mother, father, daughter, and self much better. Not only understand, but accept. This book has given me hope for the future stability of my family. So often, psychiatrist and psychologists tell you what you have, but not what it means to have what you have. So many patients walk away not understanding the nature of the illnesses they live with daily. I have lived with (bipolar I) my entire life and now, I finally know what it means. I finally know and understand the nature of my illness. This is just wonderful for me and my family. Thank you soooo much Dr. Demitri and Janice Papolos!
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ...
Review: This easy-to-read book contains a wealth of information and guidance for anyone whose life is touched by a bipolar child. Medication questions, studies, charting samples, school (IEP) support, legal rights, how to get what you need for your child and other common sense answers for children suffering with mood/behavioral disorders are found in this book. Bipolar Disorder can devastate families and can cause parents overwhelming frustration in coping with/finding help for their children suffering with the disorder. In addition to the body content of the book, the resources listed at the back offer vital support options for parents.
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for Parents, Educators & Service Providers
Review: This exceptional book is an in-depth, yet easy-to-read, "bible" on early-onset (childhood) bipolar disorder. It covers every aspect of this devastating and misunderstood illness--from genetics, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment/medications to impact on the family, educational implications, and insurance. Throughout the book, there are detailed, personal accounts (provided by parents of bipolar children) that shed light on the "everyday" lives of children with this illness. These accounts complement the more technical, medical discussions, making it easy for the layman to fully grasp all aspects of the illness. The sections that that describe the differences between adult bipolar disorder and early-onset bipolar disorder are particularly impressive. The sections on other diagnostic categories (such as ADHD which is frequently a "misdiagnosis" with tragic results) are equally impressive. In short, this book ought to be "required" reading for everyone involved in the life of a bipolar child, including parents, relatives, teachers, therapists, and doctors. As the parent of a child diagnosed ten years ago at age five with bipolar disorder, I can say with confidence that this book more than lives up to its subtitle, "The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder." It is a medical reference book, parent handbook, educational planning book, treatment roadmap, and book of hope--all rolled into one!
Rating: 
Summary: Proceed With Caution
Review: I see a significant number of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder for psychiatric re-evaluation. Many parents of these children quote "The Bipolar Child" and request I give their child a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. When re-evaluated, the vast majority of these children is not found to suffer from bipolar disorder, but from one or more of the following: poverty (commonly accompanied by poor nutrition, poor sleep, poor medical care, insecurity, inadequate bedding/shelter, neglect, distressed parents and single parents), addicted parents, autism spectrum disorders, language and communication disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, celiac disease, mental retardation, physical/sexual/emotional abuse, conduct disorder, bullying, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid disorders, sleep disorders, seizure disorders and problems from past head injuries.
Presently, published research into the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder in children is sparse, and experts disagree as to what the symptoms are. Some suggest many characteristics outlined in the Bipolar Child belong to a new diagnosis entirely.
Symptoms outlined in The Bipolar Child do not entirely agree with findings from existing studies of families in which the diagnosis has been firmly established. A notable example is a study of Amish children with bipolar parents (the Amish keep excellent records of their family trees). Researchers report adults who knew them well described children who appear to have inherited bipolar disorder as follows: stubborn, sensitive, determined, anxious, worried, distractible, excitable, low energy, hyper-alert; and having: school role impairment, mood changes, and health complaints.
Although important, inheritance does not fully explain how bipolar disorder occurs. For example, one study of identical twins found if one twin has bipolar disorder there is a 40% chance his or her identical sibling has it as well. Put another way, of 100 sets of identical twins have one bipolar sibling, 60 sets have one healthy sibling.
To date there is no proof children diagnosed with bipolar disorder grow up to be bipolar adults.
It would be wonderful if there was some way to be certain a child has bipolar disorder. No laboratory test and no imaging study can (yet?) prove it to us. Trained human professionals render their best judgment, most often based on the concerns of human parents. All do the best they can to sort out the child's problems, but parents are not always accurate, and neither are professionals.
I believe the The Bipolar Child is well intended; however, readers should know that characteristics described by The Bipolar Child apply broadly to any number of medical and psychiatric conditions. Intense focus on any one disorder distracts parents and professionals from considering plausible alternatives.
Finally, it is essential for anyone considering bipolar disorder in a child to know that the diagnosis of bipolar disorder can be as serious and lifelong as the disease itself. Drugs routinely used to treat bipolar disorder do not appear to be as effective in children as in adults, and have not been determined to be safe and effective in child populations. A diagnosis of bipolar disorder risks exposing children to drugs that threaten thyroid function, kidney function, blood composition, the body's ability to manage blood sugar, the brain and more. I have seen a number of children who became obese during treatment for bipolar disorder. Many have high blood pressure, and some show signs of Type II Diabetes, a serious, lifelong disease usually seen in adults. I encountered one child who suffered brain damage from a mood stabilizing drug made toxic by a rare, but undiagnosed, metabolic disorder. The list goes on.
My advice: If your child has emotional/behavior problems, consult your medical/mental health professional, and do not accept The Bipolar Child, my review, or any other source of information as your sole authority.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best!
Review: This book was written by experts in the field of child/adolscent bipolar! I consider it my 'bipolar bible'! It gives you EVERYTHING you need to parent a bipolar child. Everything from symptoms, medications, school issues and helps, agencies that can help, how to discipline, etc. You can read other books but this one will stop you in your tracks! So, go ahead and read others - but be sure you get this one too!
Rating:
Summary: Footsoldiers In The Battle To Comfort Children
Review: One might argue that the authors attempted to squeeze too much information between one set of covers. It does seem that there are actually two books here: one, a medical analysis of the etiology of Bipolar Disorder, particularly early onset in very young children; and another book guiding parents in recognizing the symptoms and navigating the medical, insurance, and governmental mazes to obtain treatment for their children. Be that as it may, the authors have written a very provocative treatment of Bipolar Disorder that brings into print what psychiatrists, mental health professionals, and many parents have been concerned about for some time. For the past decade or so, there has been growing concern about the precision of children's diagnoses vis-à-vis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While many parents and school officials wonder if the ADHD diagnosis is rendered too often, there is another school of thought emerging that as many as a third of ADHD diagnoses are in reality cases of early onset Bipolar Disorder. The authors are not alarmists; their stance, research, and professional networking is mainstream. But this work is alarming. It argues from the testimony of hundreds of parents connected to the authors from around the country by the Internet, that their children were much more violently ill than DSM-IV criteria for ADHD would admit, and that traditional ADHD treatments were not working, in fact making the situations worse. Admitting that the ADHD/bipolar differential is tricky for the diagnostician, the authors have arrived at useful clinical clues. For example, when a hyperactive child breaks something, more often than not he is angry with himself for his clumsiness. The bipolar child, on the other hand, often demonstrates an outward rage or anger with his destructive actions directed at family and peers. The Papoloses note also that bipolar children are more inclined to night terrors and violent imagination in story telling and art work. The authors point out that pediatric pharmacology in the treatment of early-onset Bipolar Disorder is extremely critical and presents a wide array of problems. As noted above, Bipolar Disorder can be mistaken for ADHD. The standard medication for the latter has been stimulants, which unfortunately will severely aggravate the manic tendencies of the bipolar client. Other clients may present as depressed, and even though the FDA has severely cautioned against the use of SSRI's with depressed children, it has not forbidden their use outright. In children and adults, SSRI's have been found to trigger manic episodes where the depressed mood was a feature of misdiagnosed Bipolar Disorder. Even when the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder is correctly made, the medication problems for children are significant. Over the years the common practice has been the use of such mood stabilizers as Lithium and Depakote. These medications have required regular blood work, which has made compliance an issue with children who naturally despise needles. More recently, anticonvulsant and atypical psychotic medications have proven useful in severe cases. However, these medications involve significant side effects ranging from aggravated weight gain and acne to such extremes as facial distortions and the other trademark symptoms of psychotic medications. The Papoloses examine each medication, pro and con, to assist parents and practitioners in treating and educating their clients. Parents are reminded that dating back to 1973 federal law has mandated the educational opportunities of children with mental disorders. In a similar vein, children's rights to medical treatment, including institutionalization for weeks or months, are also reviewed under the provisions of Medicare and Medicaid, among other plans. The authors are thorough in spelling out the rights and the best procedures to follow in dealing with the bureaucracies of government, schools, and insurance companies. A number of useful organizations, with phone numbers and web sites, are provided. However, in the two states whose budgets I monitor, New York and Florida, Medicaid funding for children has been significantly reduced due to strapped state budgets. At this writing, California is considering wholesale reduction of service as well. Consequently, even those parents who are faithful to the advice rendered by the Papoloses may have difficulty in accessing service. The authors' advice here, while correct may be a bit too rosy in the present health care environment. In addition, I attempted to use several of the web sites, and some of them have been disbanded. But in the final analysis, this work fulfills what I think were the intentions of the authors. First, it provides assurances to parents that the bizarre and deeply troubling behavior of their children may have organic causes for which they are not responsible. Caregivers are reminded that they are not alone, that they have rights, and most importantly, that there are support groups and practitioners who are beginning to understand the scope of their problems. Second, this work is successful in encouraging practitioners to think more expansively about the pervasiveness of early-onset Bipolar Disorder. Until fairly recently popular wisdom had that Bipolar Disorder was "a grownup's disorder." Today any practitioner will tell you that in the absence of significant personal and family history, the establishment of a bipolar diagnosis is extremely difficult. So much the more for children, particularly when we are not conditioned to routinely look for manic depressive features. The Papoloses also discuss the troubling prospect that disorders of mood are gradually increasing in scope and intensity in America and appearing at earlier ages than ever before. I do not expect that this contention will go unchallenged. But if the authors are anywhere near correct in this contention, our research into the causes and treatment of many children's mental disorders, which now appear inherited and to emanate from the frontal regions of the brain, must accelerate not only for the safety of our children and families, but as a humane gesture to their suffering.
Rating:
Summary: The #1 Bipolar book from top researchers
Review: FOR PARENTS: If your child is moody, tempermental or has behavior problems, serious social difficulties... take a look! If you know your child is bipolar or just suspect, this is the ABSOLUTE MUST BUY book you have been praying for. A life saver for this mother of a bipolar daughter! It gave me the information I needed to get the doctors and therapists to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. It helped guide me through the IEP process and become an informed advocate for my daughter. I wish I would have found it many years and heartaches ago. The book title delivers on its promise... Definitive and Reassuring PROFESSIONALS: If you work with children, this book will become one of the best resources you've ever discovered.
Rating: 
Summary: It was just okay
Review: if you are the parent of small children with bi polar disorder then this may be more helpful to you than it was to me. my kids are over 18 and i did not recognize the disorder when they were younger. i recognized some of the symptioms from the book in my kids, but since they are older the book really had little to offer me.
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