Hello all..I'm so glad I found this group. I have a 6 year old son, Mark, with bipolar disorder. he was diagnosed last year. He has had a difficult time most of his life. Looking back on it I can see things that were 'different' about him even as an infant, comparing to his older 7 yo brother. Mark was easy to arouse, did not sleep well and always had to be carried in a sling as an infant. I would have to keep him in the sling to do chores around the house. But he was my love because he always just wanted to be with me. I can remember his first babysitter who started taking care of him at about 6 months would remark about how angry he could get.

Mark was kicked out of a Montessori school at 3 for aggressiveness, throwing fits. Every morning he would lay himself down outside the school because he didn't want to go. He found a haven in another day care at a high school where my sister in law works. They seemed to know when he was about to throw a fit and would redirect him. We had a beautiful two years there with no fits or laying down.

School has been different for him. He started kindergarten last year and had a difficult time, crying fits, would become enraged in writing class if it wasn't perfect and would throw pencils, screaming "I can't do it, I can't do it". This has continued on to first grade and even gotten worse. These past few weeks he has had to be restrained every day. This week he started the laying down thing again so now I have to drive him to school and physically remove him from the car and walk him into the school instead of taking the bus.

He is in special ed. It has been a challenge dealing with school and I'm afraid to say that I have lost it with the officials there at their slowness to respond to his needs. All last year I begged them to get an evaluation done and they kept delaying, delaying. I guess I also have to mention that I am a mental health professional myself so I knew what I was dealing with, not to mention that I have an older brother with bipolar and have had depression myself. They do not seem to understand what bipolar is or how to deal with, not that I can deal with it myself. Last year was spent begging them for help, then when we go to the ARD the "psychologist" who happened to be a master's student stated that I was exaggerating his symptoms.

Really? Every day for almost the past month he has thrown a fit at school, going into rages and crying fits. He becomes so easily frustrated and becomes intensely involved in video games - for instance if he loses at a game he will scream and cry.

I don't want a pity party but life has been difficult. Every morning we wake up to screaming fits from Mark about his video games, getting dressed. Fits full of anger and screaming. I'm suprised some of our neighbors don't call CPS on us because you can hear the screaming from outside. Mark has ran into the street - a neighbor almost hit him before I could catch up to him. Thrown himself in front of the school bus, hit kids on the school bus, laid down on the street, etc. I am terrified he will hurt another child or hurt himself. I also worry about our older child, today he told me he wishes that Mark were not living with us. He got upset because Mark threw a tantrum in a shoe store, what was to be a happy event getting them new shoes ended up in a screaming fit in the store with other parents staring and Mark having to be removed from the store.

The other thing to mention is that I recently found out that Mark is now sitting a separate desk in the classroom apart from the other kids who sit at big tables in a group. They started doing this because Mark would get upset and ruin the other kids work and would throw pencils. I just don't like the idea that he is in the room but separate from the other kids. I would be ok with it if it was a temporary measure when he was angry but what I got from the ARD meeting yesterday was that he is now staying there fulltime.

Mark is seeing a psychiatrist , takes Lithium, Risperdal and Clonindine. We've tried Depakote which didn't seem to do anything for him. I don't know what else might help but we've got to do something. My husband is resistant to the idea due to the cost, but my heart wants to sent him to a private school we have here for kids with emotional problems.

Hi, I'm Donna and I am a advocate for parents in Indiana. I would be very glad to see if I can help you get the accomodations and modifications Mark
needs in school. If your interested pm me.

I have a son who is now 29. He started out a lot like Mark. But it took till he was 16 to diagnose him with anything more than depression and anger.
Oh he did have ADHD and learning disabilities too.

This is one thing I would check into with Mark, as to whether he has learning disabilities. Or if he is a perfectionist when it comes to work in school.

I believe I would go back to the preschool that handled him well. Ask what
some of the things were that they did to help him. I would also see about
having him put on a special needs bus. Or you could also have them
pay you to drive him. You are entitled to either one.

I think that you need to start small. Find one or two success and go from there. I would not worry so much about were he is sitting right now.
Because I think you feel it might be necessary for at least this year.

You can have the IEP.changed next year. I would also consider having
him repeat 1st grade, and check out all the teachers. Find the one that
will be best for him.

I am here to listen and talk if you need.

Donna