Posted by SLS on May 8, 2004, at 9:49:17
In reply to any advice on what a good med is for a child?, posted by seeknsolace on May 8, 2004, at 9:00:58
Hi.
Since bipolar disorder is so familial, perhaps a dual diagnosis needs to be considered. I know bipolar disorder can look different in children than it does in adults, and is difficult to differentiate from ADHD. Perhaps taking this into account will help with the choice of whether medication is indicated and which to choose. The presence of bipolar disorder might explain things if his ODD seems to be particularly difficult to treat with psychotherapies. Perhaps a mood stabilizer like Depakote or Trileptal would be useful (just thinking out loud - pay no attention). I know that the cousin of Trileptal, Tegretol, is often a successful treatment for adults with aggressive disorders. I think there is trend towards the overuse of psychotropics in children, however this might be one situation for which it is indicated.
I found this on Google:
http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.asp?S=957938
"According to the book, The Bipolar Child, teens with bipolar disorder can experience mood shifts from very elated to very depressed several times in a day, making it nearly impossible for these teens to concentrate and get anything done. These mood shifts can cause symptoms that are similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and therefore this is just one more diagnostic dilemma for the therapist. Other research shows that teens with ADHD can also present in a very similar way as those with either conduct disorder or ODD. The possibility that both conduct disorder and ODD may be a component of ADHD or bipolar disorder is being researched. Therefore, both bipolar disorder and ADHD as well as conduct disorder or ODD are processes that the psychiatrist/therapist must take into consideration when attempting to diagnose a teen who is displaying severe behavior problems, such as those listed above. The psychiatrist/therapist may resolve the problem of overlapping behaviors and disorders by assigning more than one diagnosis to a child (dual diagnosis). And as many parents have discovered, because distinguishing among these disorders can be quite difficult, their child may receive one diagnosis from the therapist or psychologist and a different diagnosis from the psychiatrist. This only further adds to the concerns of the parents, leaving them to wonder if anybody at all knows what is really going on!"
I wish I could help you more. I'm sure there is someone here who can.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:344724
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040505/msgs/344736.html