For many years, children who were moody, depressed, hyper or had behavior problems were diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety disorders or behavior disorders. But now studies show that in many cases, these children actually have early-onset bipolar disorder.

What is Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder used to be called manic-depression. In adults, it presents as extreme mood swings, often over weeks or months. But in children, the swings are even more extreme, often occurring within days, or even hours. Bipolar can start very early in children as young as toddlers. Or symptoms may not show up until the teenage years or young adulthood. Over the past few years, doctors have been more willing to diagnose a child or toddler with bipolar disorder, although many doctors still refuse to believe that a child that young can have manic-depression (even when their symptoms react positively to drugs traditionally given for the disorder). Exact numbers of bipolar children are not available. But the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation estimates that of the 3.4 million children and teens with depression in the United States, a significant proportion may be experiencing the early onset of bipolar disorder.