If your child's symptoms are severely impacting his or her life, or if your doctor believes they pose a risk to your child's safety, a mood stabilizer may be prescribed.
Signs and symptoms
Overall signs of a mood disorder may include: Sad, depressed, irritable, angry, or elevated mood that appears more intense than the child usually feels, lasts for a longer period of time, or occurs more frequently. Trouble with family, including difficult behavior.
For children and teens with bipolar disorder, doctors may prescribe one of a variety of mood-stabilizing medications, including lithium, anticonvulsants, or antipsychotics. These medications help to balance the brain chemicals that regulate emotions. Occasionally, antianxiety medications may also be prescribed.
Mood stabilizers, which may be used to treat DMDD, bipolar disorder, or complicated depression, are not generally used to treat core symptoms of ADHD.
Both disorders can cause issues with focus and trouble sleeping. The main difference is that in bipolar disorder, these symptoms come and go after weeks or months. In ADHD, they are present all or most of the time. But because the signs are so similar, kids may end up with the wrong diagnosis.
Being unable to sleep or greatly decreased need for sleep. Depressed or irritable mood most of the day, nearly every day, during a depressive bout. An inflated view of capabilities that's not based on reality. Suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder? Mood episodes in bipolar disorder include intense emotions and significant changes in sleep habits, activity levels, thoughts, or behaviors. Children and teens with bipolar disorder may have manic episodes, depressive episodes, or “mixed” episodes.
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) can help improve mood in children and teens with ADHD and depression. It's known to improve concentration, energy and motivation. Imipramine (Tofranil) and nortriptyline (Pamelor) are two others. These are called tricyclic antidepressants, and they affect the neurotransmitters in your brain.
With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
Mood stabilizers have primarily been developed for and tested on adults, and there is no set age recommendation for any drug. Many of these medications are not officially approved for children and teens, though professional guidelines direct their use for child-onset bipolar disorder.
One diagnosis that presents only in children aged 7-18 is called Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD). DMDD is a condition in which a child experiences chronic, severe irritability and anger. Primary symptoms include an irritable mood and temper outbursts.
Mood Stabilizers
Mood stabilizers can also be used in the treatment of anger issues.
Emotional regulation can be challenging for children with ADHD, and bouts of anger are common. In fact, it's estimated that anywhere between 40–65 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD also have a condition called Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or ODD, which includes anger as one of its symptoms.
Bipolar disorder is different from the typical mood swings and ups and downs every child and teenager goes through. The mood changes in bipolar disorder are more extreme, often unprovoked, and also involve: Changes in sleep patterns. Changes in energy level.
Symptoms of Mood Swings in ADHD
Switching from excited one moment to sad, angry, or anxious the next. Fluctuating between having trouble paying attention and hyperfocusing on an activity. Having bursts of energy and fatigue through the day. Feeling emotions intensely and having difficulty regulating them.
Remove - or minimize - distractions from your environment.
Set up or try to find a quiet place to work or study. Turn off the TV and mute your phone. If you cannot control your setting, buy noise-canceling headphones that can help you maintain your focus and keep your ADHD symptoms below level.
B vitamins: Research indicates that B vitamins play an important role in mood regulation and general thinking processes. This is because of their essential role in energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, and neurotransmitter production. B vitamins are found in spinach, parsley, broccoli, beetroot, and asparagus.
Fact: Some children with ADHD are hyperactive, but many others with attention problems are not. Children with ADHD who are inattentive, but not overly active, may appear to be spacey and unmotivated.
Bipolar disorder can occur at any age, although it often develops between the ages of 15 and 19 and rarely develops after 40. Men and women from all backgrounds are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder. The pattern of mood swings in bipolar disorder varies widely between people.
Bipolar disorder has been diagnosed in children as young as 5. When young children experience symptoms, this is called early-onset bipolar disorder.
Sometimes bipolar symptoms start in childhood or later in life. However, the most frequent range of onset is between the ages of 14 to 21 years. Childhood bipolar is relatively rare, with only up to 3% of children receiving this diagnosis.