I thought I should start this bulletin with a reason to care about Bipolar Disorder; especially, why we should care if a celebrity suffers from the disorder. To see even the slightest impact of this disorder, please click on the following link. What you will see is that some of the best and brightest people in history have been determined to be bipolar. The beauty, the music, the business and political contributions they have given us are immeasurable.http://www.realmentalhealth.com/bipolar/bipolar_celebs.asp?gclid=COWgpfaa8JUCFQEuxwod2Uh4eQNow just imagine what the world would have been like without them and their talents. Unfortunately, many very special people are lost to this disease before they are able to leave their unique mark on the world at large. Many, many times they are lost because of dependence on drugs and/or alcohol. This is why the number one priority needs to be early diagnosis and treatment.{In this article I will be using the book Is Your Child Bipolar by Mary Ann McDonnell and Janet Wozniak as reference, and all quotes are from that source.}Until recently, many clinicians did not believe that bipolar disorder existed in children. It wasn't until around 1995 that it was shown that about "1% of all children have bipolar disorder," which translates to over 750,000 children in the US alone. (p.3) According to the authors, about 80% of them are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Additionally, research has shown that a significant percentage of children suffer with depression, and often they develop bipolar disorder when they are adults. "This adds up to more than 3 million children in the United States with bipolar symptoms on any given day." (p.3) While the authors acknowledge that the number of children being diagnosed is increasing, they cite two reasons: (1) the symptoms in children vary from those in adults, and so, children were misdiagnosed in the past (ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, borderline personality disorder, incorrigible are all labels that have been used in error), and (2) the actual incidence is increasing for unknown reasons.I thought it would be helpful to all of those parents who may read this to enumerate how parents describe having a child or teen with bipolar disorder:• Each day is chaotic• "Meltdown isn't a strong enough word"• Your partner tells you its your fault• The child is fine at school, not at home• They are "fixated on anything to do with sex"• The behavior they exhibit in public makes it impossible to go anywhere• ADHD medication makes symptoms worse• Mood swings are affecting ability to have friends• We are "walking on eggshells"• "If I knew about early-onset bipolar disorder twenty-one years ago, maybe my son would be alive today." [word for word from the book] (pp 5, 6)If the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are different in children from those in adults, what are they? Bipolar Disorder was once more commonly known as Manic-Depression. In children, however, mania is not manifested in what we would recognize as euphoria; rather, the main symptom in children is irritability. Their irritability can be in the form of rages ("destructive, violent, or other dangerous behaviors"), or, as depression ("whiny," "difficult to please"). In both of these cases, the behaviors are not occasional or the kind of normal "fussiness," but are "severe, intense and disruptive." (pp 6, 7) Also, these symptoms do not have to be apparent in all situations; for example, kids can seem to be fine in school and lose it at home. The authors assert that children do not choose home to act out because there is a problem there; rather, that they are worn out from acting "normal" around their friends, only acting "crazy" where it is safe, and where others won't see them.Finally, there are several disorders that may accompany bipolar disorder in children to include: ADHD, anxiety and learning disorders. They call these "bipolar plus." Often, it is one of these that presents in school and becomes the focus of treatment and intervention, while the more silent, or at least hidden disorder is not apparent to anyone but the family. It is my experience that this is true and leads to the frustration and guilt that are so common with parents of children with bipolar disorder. I have often described myself as being considered "neurotic" or someone with a form of Munchhausen's by Proxy because Sean's symptoms were not apparent to anyone outside of the home, while so obvious and worrisome to me. The kind of information in this book is powerful to parents, as information is power. With the information found in resources such as this text, I would have been better able to advocate for my child and not doubt my own intuition, in other words, to fight because I could define and describe what I was fighting.In summary, Bipolar Disorder is caused by many things, including genetics; is an illness; can occur in children; is a brain disorder, not just bad behavior; is manifested by irritability, not euphoria; can vary with setting; varies from child to child depending on associated disorders and severity; while it may look like ADHD, treatment is not the same as ADHD; it is very tough on parents; and does not define who your child is. (pp. 11, 12)In the next article, I will again use this reference to help someone decide if moody is a mood disorder. In the interim, other resources for parents include the Depression and Bipolar Disorder Support Alliance, S.T.E.P. Up for Kids, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF).As an update on the Fund, we have applied for 501c3 designation and have had our first structured Steering Committee Meeting. We are hoping to have a Board meeting before the end of the year and an Atlanta Memorial Concert early 2009. Thanks to everyone who is hanging in there with us, especially those who have shown their support through financial and emotional outreach. Love is Amazing…