Can a child develop bipolar disorder?

While rare, children before puberty can develop bipolar disorder. Learn more in this HealthMakers video with Ellen Leibenluft, MD, chief of bipolar spectrum disorders for the National Institute of Mental Health.

Transcript

00:00

There's no question that children can have-- that preschoolers can have psychiatric illness, OK? Even for example, there's emerging literature.

00:08

Preschoolers are infamous, if you will, for temper tantrums. [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:19

The peak age of onset is more in adolescence, early adulthood. But it is very clear that children before puberty

00:28

can develop bipolar disorder. Now, so certainly, there are well-documented cases

00:36

that clearly have a classic sort of pattern starting age eight, age nine and going up.

00:42

They're more rare. They're much more rare than adolescent bipolar or adult

00:49

bipolar. It's controversial whether or not preschoolers can have bipolar disorder, OK?

00:56

There is some literature that talks about that. I think we have to be very, very cautious.

01:04

I think the jury is still out. There's no question that children can have- that preschoolers can have psychiatric illness.

01:12

Even for example, there's emerging literature-- preschoolers are infamous, if you will, for temper tantrums.

01:19

There is emerging literature that helps us begin to differentiate when temper tantrums in a preschooler are within normal range

01:29

and when they're not. The American Academy, The Child, and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy basically cautions against making

01:36

the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in preschoolers. But beyond that into school age, you can definitely see it.