Hi,

We used to have a poster who put her young son on Zyprexa for about 3 years. Now he is off it and doing mostly fine. She keeps his life as steady as possible for him.

--I suppose you have already gotten the book The Bipolar Child by Demitri F. Papolos, M.D. and Janice Papolos. Also -- http://www.bipolarchild.com/articles.html

--And you have googled bpkids for the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation.


My bipolar manisfested itself when I was around 25 and I don't have kids. My family is crawling with alchoholics and people w/ other similiar stuff but no dx'd bipolar beyond me. So I have no direct experience with children with possible bp.

It does sound like your son is in good hands. You are keeping up with what is going on with him and sending him to professionals.

Some more thoughts --

-I would not try to deal with the school board myself. They will do whatever they can to not have to deal with your son's issues. Schools like conformitiy and don't want to have to deal with a special case -- especially if it will cost them a minute of extra time or other resources. Get an advocate or lawyer. Check "nami" for a possible advocate in your area.

-I wish I could recall the kinds of blood work that might be helpful.
Psychiatirists send adults for thyroid checks sometimes. Also other hormones. I don't know what they look for in children.

-Here's another site: http://www.bipolarodyssey.com/OHM.htm created by a father looking to help his son.

-Some people with bipolar benefit from treatments that also help people with epilepsy.

-I haven't seen a good study yet (doesn't mean that they don't exist) but I remember that there is some suggestion that low carb and low sugar diets can benefit people with bipolar.

-Can you get blood work to check his vitamin levels, esp. the vit Bs?

-Certainly have him checked for allergies. I benefited from allergy treatment recently.

Mari