What age does bi-polar disordere generally start

[concernedgrammy755]

I believe that my grandson (14) may be bi-polar.  My son has been diagnosed with bi-polar disease with psycho-affective disorder and my daughter with bi-polar.  I am concerned since this is so prevalent in my family.  Also my grandson has been diagnosed with ODD/ADHD.  His mother has no insurance and we are wondering what can be done to help him.

[gil42]

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 50. I asked myself how is this possible & what hapened in those 50 years? At first I felt reluctant to accept it & woud not follow Doctor's instructions until it began to make me a secluded monk who shone away from friends & family.

My best advise is to accept it & follow a rigorous treatment as prescribed by a Doctor. No self medication, no drugs, no alcohol.

By the way it all began after I quit drinking & doing drugs after 50. I gues it hid behind my life style of the past.

[yarrow]

Our adult son was not diagnosed with bipolar type II in his mid-twenties, but he and I agree (when he's feeling calm--rare these days) that his behavior changed suddenly when he was only three and a half years old, and that he was 'different' from then on, and by 'different', I mean really strange behavior, the oddest symptoms being what is now called hypomania and pressured speech.  However, back in those days, it was thought impossible for a young child to be bipolar, so we couldn't get any genuine help for him, and his school years were a nightmare.

As an adult has fought and denied his diagnosis and refused medication, with the result that he can't hold a job now and has few friends.  His life is extremely difficult, and I am sure painful for him. If there is any way you can help, such as by paying for an evaluation by a child psychologist, you and a helpful doctor might be able to get your grandson into some program that will aid families with low incomes. This could very well make it possible for him to have a happier and more normal life than our poor son is ever likely to have.

[iris986]

First try to get state aid to help out and insurance.

I have read of a woman on here whose child was diagnosed at age 4 years old as bi-polar.

My daughter also has bi-polar and we didn't recognize it until it was too late and it had changed her whole personality. We lost the sweet little girl that she use to be. She is now 25 years old and have watched her struggle with work and relationships and life in general.

[Xila31]

It is possible to have bipolar as a teenager. I myself believe I've had this since I was a kid but no proof as I wasn't diagnosed, but had lots of symptoms. Also I am surprised they diagnosed him ADHD when he has two bipolar parents. I've read some articles on how bipolar mimics ADHD and ADHD mimics bipolar, and there are subtle differences that may be missed either way. So the best thing to do is get him in to see a psychiatrist that specializes in children.

Since she has no insurance have her look into state programs if you live in the US. Besides Medicade, many states offer insurance, for children only, for lower income families. Usually the income level is higher than with Medicade. But, since he already has the diagnosis of a chronic condition, there may also be guidelines for that if their income is higher. Also since both your son and daughter-in-law have chronic conditions as well, have them look into Medicade. They may also have a program for that.