Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens

There is no laboratory test to diagnose bipolar disorder. Doctors make the diagnosis through a combination of:

• A medical history, asking questions to help identify other past and present health conditions that could cause the symptoms.
• A family history to identify bipolar disorder, other mood disorders, or substance abuse problems in close relatives. (All of these conditions are linked to bipolar disorder.)
• A physical exam, which can rule out other conditions with similar symptoms (such as hyperthyroidism).
• A mental health assessment, which can help identify your child's current mental state and the severity of depression or mania.
• Other written or verbal mental health tests.

In young children, the symptoms of mania are more than just being a bother to adults and other children now and then. For example, many children can be silly and giggly to a point that it bothers their parents sometimes. This is not considered to be a sign of mania. But if a child is silly and giggly for several hours, several times almost every day, and this is interrupting the family's usual routine, then it may be a symptom of mania.

Before prescribing medicine to treat bipolar disorder, your doctor will check your child for possible suicidal behavior by asking a few questions. See a list of questions your doctor may ask your child.