Hello Im glad I found this site. My son is 9 years old. He was diagnosed ADHD/ODD back in 2005. He was just recently diagnosed Bipolar. He is taking Vyvannse 50mg and Risperidal .5mg twice daily. He has been a handful. We have been going through this since the end of 2004 trying to figure things out and I think I am finally understanding why we haven't been able to help him. He is very moody. You never know which kid your going to get moment by moment. I guess that is called rapid cycling. He is very violent towards everyone specially his 4 year old sister. He has busted his fathers lip open. And one time I had to pin him to the ground so he couldn't hurt anyone or himself and he tried to bite and head butt me the entire time. At that point I realized how strong my little boy really was. But Anthony doesn't seem like some of the other kids that I have read about on these posts. He doesn't seem like he is sorry when this happens. I think he is actually glad that he made us so upset and hurt. Maybe that is the ODD part of it all. I don't know where the ODD stops and the Bipolar begins. He hates to lose if I try to spend time with him and play things and he loses Im either a cheater or an idiot and he just blows up in a rage. His school work is good no problems at school at the moment. Before he would overflow toilets and hang on door stalls but this year its not bad. He won't participate with talking at the couclers appts. So Im just kinda lost right now. He had a mri and a emg done. We have an attorney who is doing an appeal for us for ssi. And I heard there should be special circumstances for him at school. I need to check out the link that was posted. Any how thanks for listening. chreey

Hi,
1) Get a copy of this book:
The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder -- Third Edition (Paperback)
by Demitri Papolos and Janice Papolos


2) Also look at this site for a sample IEP to give you an idea of what you can do at his school to help him.

http://www.bipolarchild.com/IEP/

3) Also google the "Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation" to find lots of parents of bipolar children. Here is a list of symptoms from that site:

The Vyvanse does not make sense to me if he is still raging.
Are you seeing a psychiatrist who specializes in children?

Mari

Thanks for the info. He is seeing a child psyciatrist. She continues to give the vyvannsse for the adhd along with the risperidal to help stabalize his mood. Since she increased the risperidol his mood has gotten better there have only been a few issues. But it has also been such a short time between Im not sure if it is indeed the medication helping or not. It is just rough since my four year old sees my son screaming and crying and acting out when he doesn't get his way or is in one of his rages. She thinks that is the proper way to react to things. Since one child already has it whats the chances of my other two children having it or ending up with it? Thanks chreey

Hi,

From my understand of reading what is available on-line, a person has a 10% chance of getting bipolar is she or he has a sibling with bipolar.

But apparently this can vary from family to family based on other factors as well, like age of onset.


http://www.mddaboston.org/HTML/lect020900.html





M.

Hi, I wanted to make a statement on the IEP part of this issue.

Since he isn't having problems at school at present. There is a good chance
the school will not want to put one in place. But because of the medication
and the diagnosis's he has. THey can and should at least put a 504 plan
in place. This would level the playing field by putting some things in place
so that if he starts to have problems they can be addressed.

Both bipolar, or emotional issues, and ADHD can be addressed in either
a IEP or a 504 plan.

Donna

The school doesnt want to do a iep. They didn't even want to update his psych eval. for the attorney. They said he showed no signs of a learning disability from his previous one when he was 4 years old and Isteps were good. I did go out and get the bipolar child book. It is very helpful. He goes back Oct 2nd probably going to have to up the risperidal. He was doing ok for a while then ever since friday he is very irritable again and being mean to sister. The doc wants to get mood under control so the vyvannse will work.

My 16 yr old just had to be taken off of the Vyvanse after being on it for a short time because it made him angry and violent, foul language, depressed. Right now he is on nothing for his ADHD until we make sure his mood evens out.

You sound like you have it far rougher than I do. My son is not really violent or angry unless he perceives being attacked or if he doesn't get his way. As Mari said make sure that the psych doc is a pediatric psychiatrist.

I feel for you. I have three kids and my middle child has all the symptoms of being bipolar. Oh and by the way I am bipolar. I don't know why but the anger issue was a big one with my son. It was not until he was older that I told him he had to give himself time to cool off. I know that probably won't work with a nine year old. For me rapid cycling is crying and laughing at the same time, then being depressed, to almost delusional all in a matter of 30 minutes. I do not fit the textbook definition of rapid cycling. I'm sure as a good mother you have done your homework, but one book that really helped me turn things around was the Bipolar Disorder survival guide by David Miklowitz. It's easy to read, not expensive, and there are examples of mood charts, which will help you tell his doctor, exactly what is going on. I wish you the best.

Wow everything sounds so familiar.... I am a diagnosed bipolar who is miserable I am happy one min sad the next angry the next. I am tearing my family apart. My goal is to get me straightened out and then things will be ok. I am very negative about everything. If anyone has any suggest on a med or anything that could possibly help me Please let me know I have been dealing with this for 17 yrs and I am in crisis right now I have three beautiful boys a beautiful step-daughter and a husband. My middle son is ADHD and i also believe has bipolar as well. He can not control his anger and has hurt others bad at times and sometimes it scares me that he will hurt someone too bad. I always think the worst of things. Someone always has an agenda behind what they are doing and its never good. I want the best for them but when they hurt me I want them to hurt (not physically) but inside like I am. Please help me someone

Hi needshelp08. Welcome to the boards!
I have 2 children with bipolar. It can be both depressing and frustating at times. You must have a lot of strength to be able to see what the problems are, and ask for help!

I think what you should do is to simply print out exactly what you have typed here, drive to whoever prescribes your bipolar medication, and hand it to them. They will be able to adjust meds as well as guide you through available resources that will make things easier and helping you and your family. You are absolutely right. Chaos filters down through the entire house, and healing does as well. This will help all of you!