Bipolar Kids: Helping Your Child Find Calm in the \t\t Storm

A child psychiatrist with 25 years of clinical experience, Greenberg \t\t specializes in juvenile bipolar disorder, a condition that affects an estimated \t\t half million children in the U.S. Greenberg explains that bipolar disorder is \t\t often misdiagnosed in children as such other disorders as ADHD or OCD; the \t\t "diagnostic morass" is further complicated by the fact that many bipolar kids \t\t also suffer from these very conditions or others such as autism or Asperger's \t\t syndrome. When bipolar disorder "rides sidesaddle" with other disorders, the \t\t wrong diagnosis can result. Fortunately, scientists are learning more about the \t\t disorder, and with this book in hand parents will also become more aware of the \t\t intricacies of this complex condition. Greenberg walks parents through a \t\t multitude of "hidden symptoms," including impulsivity, difficulty waking up, \t\t nightmares, anxiety, hypersexuality, carb cravings and sinus infections. \t\t Although in and of themselves these clues don't herald the condition, they are \t\t among the many fascinating links to pediatric bipolar disorder that Greenberg \t\t explores through current research and her own clinical experience. Along with \t\t examining the challenges, the author celebrates the bipolar child's creativity, \t\t sensitivity, and ability to "think outside the box." She also stresses the \t\t importance of listening to bipolar children, revealing that their \t\t self-observations can often be key in proper treatment. (Mar.)