Why is Bipolar Disorder Often Misdiagnosed in Children?
Until the last ten years, Bipolar Disorder, also known as Manic-Depressive Disorder or Mania,was largely considered an adult health problem. However, research has shown that approximately 7% of children attended by physicians at psychiatric facilities can be categorized as bipolar. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, up to 30% of the 3.4 million children and adolescents with depression in the United States may actually be experiencing early onset of Bipolar Mania. Research also shows that a patient with bipolar disorder faces up to ten years of coping with bipolar disorder symptoms before he or she can get an accurate diagnosis. Even then only one in four patients receives an accurate diagnosis in fewer than three years. One reason for the misdiagnosis is the nature of the condition itself; bipolar disorder is characterized by hypomania or wide, unpredictable mood swings between manic and depressive episodes.Periods of manic elation and hyperactivity a
