Product Description
Clinical Manual for Management of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents was written in response to the growing body of knowledge surrounding pediatric bipolar illness and the underlying biological, environmental, and psychosocial influences that exacerbate symptoms and behavior. Written to provide clinically useful information about diagnosis and management, this manual is a comprehensive collection of empirical evidence, case studies, and the growing number of evidence-based reports on pediatric bipolar disorder over the past five years.This revised and extended manual thoroughly examines how the past dualism of nature versus nurture should be replaced with the more accurate nurture enhancing or igniting nature in young patients facing bipolar disorder. This enhanced text also features several new chapters by Dr. Mary Fristad and team at The Ohio State University, who are experts in the family and psychosocial aspects of pediatric bipolar disorder. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents
This book is so good, it makes I know about bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. Especially about epidermology, cause, prognosis and treaments for bipolar disorder. I think if I have an oppotunities to view Amazon.com. I will buy textbook of you sure. ... Read more

Product Description
In the tradition of Kay Redfield Jamison’s An Unquiet Mind, Acquainted with the Night is a powerful memoir of one man’s struggle to deal with the adolescent depression and bipolar disorder of his son and his daughter.

Seven years ago Paul Raeburn’s son, Alex, eleven, was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after leaving his fifth-grade classroom in an inexplicable rage.He was hospitalized three times over the next three years until he was finally diagnosed by a psychiatrist as someone exhibiting a clear-cut case of bipolar disorder.This ended a painful period of misdiagnosis and inappropriate drug therapy.Then Raeburn’s younger daughter, Alicia, twelve, was diagnosed as suffering from depression after episodes of self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts.She too was repeatedly admitted to psychiatric hospitals.All during this terrible, painful time, Raeburn’s marriage was disintegrating, and he had to ask what he and his wife might have done, unwittingly, to contribute to their children’s mental illness.And so, literally to save his children’s lives, he used all the resources available to him as a science reporter and writer to educate himself on their diseases and the various drugs and therapies available to help them return from a land of inner torment.

In Paul Raeburn’s skilled hands, this memoir of a family stricken with the pain of depression and mania becomes a cathartic story that any reader can share, even as parents unlucky enough to be in a similar position will find it of immeasurable practical value in their own struggles with the child psychiatry establishment.Amazon.com Review
In the space of a few months, 11-year-old Alex Raeburn is bounced among seven psychiatrists and prescribed even more drugs, among them Lithium and Depakote, after lashing out at his 5th-grade teacher. The doctors are swift to prescribe pills but slow to provide therapy, despite varying opinions on what the diagnosis may be--maybe depression, ADHD, or an anxiety disorder. While the family finds little relief from the medical establishment, author Paul Raeburn, Alex's dad, slowly admits that his lack of parenting and anger-management skills may have exacerbated his son's condition. Some of his temper tantrums, one of which involves flooding their kitchen, are as frightening as his son's manic episodes.

Ironically, as the science and medicine reporter for BusinessWeek, Raeburn had access to the most prestigious names in psychiatry, but his denial of Alex's emotional problems was so strong that he didn't even bother to look up the (significant) side effects of his son's prescriptions in the Physician's Desk Reference: "I was not going to read about psychiatric drugs and mental illness because I was not going to be the parent of a mentally ill kid." He and Alex are given hope from bipolar expert Kay Redfield Jamison, who, during a book signing, writes, "Things will get better." They do, but not before the Raeburns' marriage disintegrates and Alex's younger sister Alicia is also repeatedly hospitalized for depression and attempted suicide. Raeburn's bravery in telling his childrens' story is to be commended, but the reader is left wondering just how much of Alex and Alicia's misery can be blamed on his own moodiness, prejudices, and procrastination. --Erica Jorgensen ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Don't Be Cool
I rated this book 5 because it can serve as a cautionary tale.If your child starts "acting out," you might want to read this book as an example of what not to do. Or, better, read it before you have a problem; say when your child is born, along with Spock, et al.Just one example: your daughter, in 7th grade, is cutting herself, has been in mental hospital, has attempted suicide. You let her to go with her girlfriend, her girlfriend's brother and her brother's 17th year old friend for beachhouse weekend with girlfriend's divorced father. What are you thinking?? You know better, but you've been brainwashed. Or you're lazy. Or you're irresponsible. Or all of these and more. Have you forgotten your own teen and preteen desires, interests, focus, misdeeds? Both young girls are raped (or engage in sex) with the 17 year old.These parents are so concerned with status, with "cool,"with being a friend to their children, with their own feelings, they haven't got a clue.And yet, they'd probably tell you that their children are most important. Alternative?Well, sell your upscale home, move somewhere like midwest, live in a shack if necess, forget "cool" "popular" "kid's friends" kid's "video" kids "music." Be a PARENT. Closely monitor kids, even teenaged kids, do whatever it takes to straighten out your precious, adored children if these words mean anything. Give it your all, if your children really come first. We've been falsely led to believe that they must have, have a right to have, "friends" "peers" privacy, etc.We "give" our kids to the schools, the coaches, the so-called experts. It relieves us of responsibility. And kids sense this. Then, we blame someone else when things go wrong. Take back the Number One position in your children's lives.

Angry and discouraging
Mental Illness is not a warm, fuzzy topic, but Raeburn's account of dealing with his mentally ill child offers little hope, encouragement, or direction. Additionally, it implies that family dynamics and social situations may be at the root of illness rather than biology, as proven over and over by science and medicine alike. If you want a parent's perspective that provides both the unvarnished truth and a real sense of hope, power, and wellness, read Kate McLaughlin's "Mommy I'm Still in Here" instead.Mommy I'm Still in Here: Raising Children with Bipolar Disorder

Compelling reading
I could not put this book down.Within Paul Raeburn's personal story are a few critical and quotable summaries of the dilemmas that all parents of "different" children face, especially in regards to diagnosis and medications.Parents of bipolar children should read this book not as a "how-to" story, but to understand that we are not the only people living with this challenge.Every piece of information helps us put together our own life puzzles.

Brutally honest, most effective in showing America's mental health crisis
This book was hard to get through, not because of the writing, which was excellent, but because it was so relentlessly honest and upsetting.I don't think I've ever read a book where the author was quite so hard on himself or made himself out so poorly.I think he took on more blame than he needed to for his childrens' problems.

The most effective part of this book was showing how terribly poor the US is at handling mental illness in children.The most telling point of the book for me was when the author asked his insurance plan what child psychiatrists were covered that were in their area (within 50 miles) and there were NONE--and they lived with 25 miles of New York City!I know how hard it is to find a child psychiatrist, but I didn't realize things were that bad.It's also astonishing that extremely expensive inpatient mental health hospitals have basically no therapy or help on weekends.

I do think this book is more a memoir of a very trying time in the author's life and his childrens' life than specifically about their depression and bipolar disorder.There is much about the crumbling of the parents' marriage and the drug and alcohol use of the children.It helps to set the scene during which the mental health crises occur, but I would have liked more concrete information about depression and bi-polar disorder.

I hope that things continue to look up for this family.

First Half Great, Second Half Defensive
The first half of this book is just wonderful.Written by an author with great skill, the book has the drama of a nonfiction book as he weaves together all the charcters and elements in the plot.His research about the disease brought out things I'd not learned yet in my journey with friends and loved ones with bipolar disorder. (Although he also left out some basic elements which, if included, would have balanced the presentation a bit more.)That he and his wife would divorce was "foreshadowed" powerfully.

But somewhere around page 175 where the marriage falls apart the book began to be about his pain, his rejection, his problems.His lack of empathy and insight into what was going on with the rest of his family at the point was sad for me to read.Hopefully this reaction will not be taken as an example by other parents in similar situations.

I respect that this was a terrible ordeal for the man personally.But I wished I had seen him able to put his suffering in the context of the suffering of each individual and the family as a whole.He seemed to do that quite well in the first half of the book.

I would recommend the first half of the book to seasoned parents of mentally ill children.But not to a parent newly on the journey through mental illness with a child.It would be too frightening.For a parent years into the journey, and a parent who has been proactive in classes and political advocacy, the first half of this book would make riveting reading.For the parent new to the problem or very uneducated about the problem, it could be quite confusing and/or distressing. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on October 1, 2001. The length of the article is 577 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder Looks Like Severe Adult Form.(bipolar disorder in children)
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2001
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 29Issue: 10Page: 22

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1314 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Bipolar disorder remains a conundrum.(Behavioral Consult)(bipolar disorder in children)
Author: Michael S. Jellinek
Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40Issue: 3Page: 30(1)

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This digital document is a journal article from Neuropsychiatrie de l'enfance et de l'adolescence, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder are related syndrome in young people is currently debated. The present report critically reviews the available literature on the topic. The prevalence rate of ADHD is 5 to 9% among school children of the general population, while the rate is 0.3% for bipolar disorder in the child and adolescent population. The relationship between both disorders is difficult to assess as several symptoms do overlap. The clinical course is continuous in ADHD child whereas it is rather episodic and discontinuous in bipolar adolescent. In psychiatric setting, comorbidity between the two disorders has only been reported by one group -11% in outpatients and 22% in hospitalized patients presenting ADHD- but these results were methodologically discussed. Similarly, in longitudinal studies of ADHD, cases of comorbidity with bipolar disorder have only been reported by the same group. The hypothesis of common vulnerability factors shared by these disorders, including common genetic factors, is not validated. However, cases of patients presenting ADHD and bipolar disorder may be encountered in paediatric and psychiatric settings. We will report one of such cases that will introduce the discussion. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on February 1, 2002. The length of the article is 433 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Subjective criteria make bipolar diagnosis tricky. (Bipolar Disorder in Children).
Author: Sherry Boschert
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2002
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 30Issue: 2Page: 5(1)

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This book presents the evidence base for the NICE guideline on the management of bipolar disorder in adults (including pregnant women and older adults), children and adolescents. It covers diagnosis and assessment in primary and secondary care, and pharmacological, psychological and psychosocial management. The guideline also contains a chapter on patient experience.An essential resource for all professionals involved in the treatment and management of bipolar disorder, this book is a milestone in the development of truly independent and transparent clinical guidance and an essential tool in improving the quality of mental healthcare in the UK.

Also Available

Childhood-Onset Eating Problems: Findings from Research - ISBN 1901242765
Mental Health and Growing Up, 3rd Edition: Factsheets for Parents, Teachers and Young People - ISBN 190467111X

RCPsych Publications is the publishing arm of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (based in London, United Kingdom), which has been promoting excellence in mental health care since 1841. Produced by the same editorial team who publish The British Journal of Psychiatry, they sell books for both psychiatrists and other mental health professionals; and also many written for the general public. Their popular series include the College Seminars Series, the NICE mental health guidelines and the Books Beyond Words series for people with intellectual disabilities.

RCPsych publishes in all areas of psychiatry and mental health, including but not limited to:
Clinical psychiatric practice
Intellectual disability
Mental health services for children, adolescents, adults and the elderly
Psychopharmacology
Psychotherapy
Rehabilitation psychiatry
Family mental health
Service provision

RCPsych Publications books can help with the following disorders:
Addictions
Affective disorders
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Bereavement
Borderline personality disorder
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Dementia
Depression
Eating disorders
Perinatal psychiatric disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Psychosis
Schizophrenia
Sleep problems
... Read more

Product Description
Learn how religion can help in treating those suffering from bipolar disorder

The Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Pastoral Counseling introduces a new treatment model based on Quaker ideas and practices that can be used in conjunction with medical and psychological practice for treating manic-depressive illness. This unique book examines the interplay between religion and psychoanalysis, using the latest research on the importance of silence, prayer, and meditation in psychotherapy, the role of community in healing, and the problem of God and suffering. The book includes clinical examples from the author’s counseling practice, case studies of bipolar clients, and an extensive bibliography of materials on this crippling disorder that affects more than two million American adults.

With its multidisciplinary approach, pastoral counseling may be the most effective psychotherapy for use with medical and pharmacological treatments. Pastoral counselors can gain valuable insights from psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, learning, and family systems theories for a more complete understanding of their clients. The Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Pastoral Counseling examines current understandings of the disorder, including the effects, advantages, and disadvantages of medications, genetic factors, and the search for a "mood gene," and looks at current treatment approaches, including object relations, psychoeducational, and narrative psychology.

The Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Pastoral Counseling examines:

the writings of Quaker reformers, their methods of treatment, and the philosophies behind them

key theological ideas of Quakerism that are helpful to pastoral counselors

the ethical implications of pastoral counseling

self-emptying as a way toward health

the client’s right to privacy and individuality

the nature of suffering

the public perception of mental illness

theological reflections of mental illness

and much more

The Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Pastoral Counseling also includes case studies of bipolar clients and an extensive bibliography of books, journal articles, and Internet resources. This unique book is an invaluable resource for pastoral counselors and psychotherapists in private practice, as well as chaplains and parish pastors. ... Read more

Product Description
With insight and intimacy, Kate L. McLaughlin candidly shares the realities of parenting children with Bipolar Disorder. No other book so eloquently and honestly conveys the physical realities and battered emotions of a family caught in the swirling storm of a child s hallucinations and psychosis. Nothing else accurately depicts the frenzy of mania, or suicide attempts and their bittersweet aftermaths. No other writer so aptly illustrates the personal changes in parents of disabled children, nor connects them to the emotional and spiritual growth borne of their occurrence. This book supports, educates, and informs the reader, offering hope and encouragement to anyone living with chronic illness or raising teens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Sloppy editing mars narrative
If a mentally ill child lives in your home, you won't be able to put this book down.This woman documented her personal journey so much more consistently than I would have, and it's both a frightening and reassuring read.Others have summarized the book; I would just add that the detail she includes regarding triggers, treatments, and challenges were very helpful.I really think I learned as much about BP from this book as I have from more technical works.

On the other hand, if you are not living with a mentally ill child, I can't imaging sticking it out.The chapter titles are unhelpfully non-topical ("September 2001"), and the writing is loose and occasionally ungrammatical.A really strong editor could have tightened up the narrative and imposed a more user-friendly structure.I would never have read this book if it didn't speak to me on a very personal level.

WOW!
I loved this book! I cried several times because I could understand what this family went through.My daughter is 11 and has had problems her whole life.Either I have already gone through the same thing or can see it happening to us.This book made me feel like we weren't so alone in the world and that there is hope for my daughter and my family.I can finally see a light where I previously saw none.I thank this author and her family for allowing us to have an intimate view of her struggle with her children's bipolar disorder.

Heart-touching Story
Mommy, I'm Still in Here is a heart-rending book. It's the true story of a family that goes from the all-American dream to the all-American nightmare.

As the McLaughlin children become teens, two of them, Chloe and Michael, develop bipolar disorder. This mental illness comes disguised as normal teen moodiness, forgetfulness, and rebellion. By the time her parents realize that Chloe is seriously ill, it is almost too late. She suffers from rapid cycling moods, sometimes seriously depressed--even suicidal--other times grandiose and irresponsible. Michael's illness makes him more inclined to violence, and he self-medicates with drugs and alcohol. Their mother shares the story of this family's fight to regain control of their lives.

I couldn't put this book down until I finished it. It is a moving story, and also offers helpful information for anyone interested in bipolar disorder.

Honest and Heartwrenching
Kate McLaughlin openly shares her family's struggle with bipolar disease in Mommy I'm Still In Here. While knowing their families had addiction and mental health issues, Mark and Kate never thought it could happen to them.They looked forward to raising healthy children.They learned from others and knew they could do better.Their family grew with Chloe, Michael, and Monica.

Chloe was a very difficult child.Every little change upset her, hot, cold, lights, etc.Michael was an easy baby especially compared to Chloe.Monica was even easier.The family settled into a routine.As Chloe entered school, she settled a little.She did well in school and had friends.All seemed fine until Chloe became seventeen.

Chloe first became depressed.Her grades slipped.As Chloe went from doctor to doctor and her depression worsened, bipolar disease was mentioned.With each medication change and thought, Kate read every book she could on the disease.She thought that the more she knew, the better she could help Chloe.Chloe's disease was difficult to manage.The many months, medication changes, and hospitalization are documented in Mommy I'm Still In Here.

Michael first starting showing signs at seventeen also.However, unlike his sister, he turned to drugs and alcohol to medicate himself.He did not want to be crazy like Chloe.Michael's battle with the disease was very different than Chloe's.He became very violent until the family felt threatened.Hospitalization was necessary.

Mommy I'm Still In Here is a very honest look at bipolar disease.Kate McLaughin knew that she wanted to write an uplifting book.While very scary and detailed, Kate writes about how her family grew closer through the disease.She explains her fears as a mother and primary caretaker along with her children's feelings.She really tries to make readers understand everyone's feelings, both family and the mentally ill.Kate really believes that the disease helped her family become better.

Kate McLaughin's book is a real eye opener.I was surprised at the struggles her oldest daughter went through on a regular basis.I was also surprised at reactions from Michael.Kate never gave up hope the entire time, even at the most trying of times.She had a large support system of her husband and the doctors treating her children.I recommend reading Mommy I'm Still In Here for anybody who is interested in the mentally ill.It truly is uplifting despite the content and struggle.

Gripping, but I wanted a little more... just a little...
I have been pretty lucky in my life and none of my family has any mental or mood disorders. So, all that I do know comes from talking to other people or reading or whatever. This book was much more than I was expecting.

The author comes off as very detached at times. At others, I could feel her pain and yes, she admits it, annoyance. I really wanted to hear more from her about what she went through. She did cover a lot, but some of it seemed so clinical, so "and then this happened", that I felt like I wanted to hear her yell and scream and throw things now and then. Oh, she loves her kids, there's absolutely no doubt about that, but I really wanted to know more about how SHE felt.

I did, however, learn a LOT about Bipolar Disorder and learn that families can keep it together while going through horrible times. I cannot imagine how it must be for her to watch her youngest daughter and wonder... "will she get it too?". I also want to know about that younger daughter. How is Monica today?

See, that's kind of how I judge a memoir. If I am left wondering how a character is doing "today", then it's good. If I don't care... well, then... not so much :) But I did end up caring for this family, all of them, her, her kids, her husband. It was a very interesting (and at times tense) look into a family and how they change and cope with the situation they are presented with.

This is very much well worth a read. Don't get me wrong, I wish there was more, but there is plenty here to enjoy. I think it would be interesting to read something her daughter writers. What her "side" of the story was. However, I realize, it might be something she's simply not able to do.

Read it if you are interested in mental disorders or just like memoirs. Worth a read! ... Read more

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Professional School Counseling, published by Thomson Gale on October 1, 2005. The length of the article is 4727 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A closer examination of bipolar disorder in school-age children.
Author: Angela D. Bardick
Publication: Professional School Counseling (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 9Issue: 1Page: 72(6)

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This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by International Medical News Group on April 1, 2003. The length of the article is 867 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Overlapping symptoms fuel the bipolar/ADHD controversy. (How to Discriminate Between the Two).(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children with bipolar disorder)
Author: Bruce Jancin
Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2003
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 37Issue: 4Page: 24(1)

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from Family Practice News, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2006. The length of the article is 638 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Tool helps spot onset of bipolar disorder in kids.(Mental Health)
Author: Michele G. Sullivan
Publication: Family Practice News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 36Issue: 1Page: 37(1)

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How does bipolar disorder affect learning? Is there a cure? Is this a fad diagnosis? How do I handle manipulation? How can I prevent relapses? Should I use alternative treatments? How can I parent effectively?

Customer Reviews (6)

Childhood Bipolar
very helpful for parents struggling with children with this disorder.Tracy's website is also a frequent resource available to many.Thank you for making such an organized and well thought out book for parents.

a great source of information
Dispite the fact I've spent lots of time and resources studing this subject I found lots of usful information that I didn't know before.It's easy to read, parctical and most importantly helpful. The format makes if easy to find what your looking for without having to spend time reading chapter after chapter hoping to come across your answer.

This book and The Bipolar Child should be manditory reading for all parents and healh care professionals that work with kids with Bipolar Disorder.

Fantastic!!!!
This book is phenominal.Many of the questions that I have had as a parent of a child with Bipolar Disorder are outlined and answered in an easy-to-read fashion.This will be a must-have for parents and therapists alike.

Amazing
"As a licensed mental health therapist working with the chronically mentally ill for over 13 years, I have seen
first-hand the destruction and anguish caused by ignoring or putting off a diagnosis and/or treatment. People
end up suffering for years and often turn to drugs/alcohol to self-medicate, or even worse, some take their
own lives. That being said, I am also the parent of a 7 year old who has been recently diagnosed with Early
Onset Bipolar Disorder. Working in the field and having a detailed knowledge of the disease made the
diagnosis no less devastating. This book is an invaluable resource; the authors have provided the reader
with a wealth of important information in a format that is easy to read and understand. It is not only helpful for
recognizing symptoms, but also helps to identify possible solutions. I feel the knowledge gained by reading
this book has helped pave the way for me to learn about and accept my child's illness while simultaneously
providing hope for the future."

Lisa R. Steller MA, LPC

A must have book for parents whose child may or does have Bipolar Disorder
This book, like all of the others written by Tracy Anglada is a must have for your bookshelf if your child is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder or any mood disorder.She answers questions clearly and simply.The book is divided into categories to make looking up information you need easy to do without a lot of research.After reading this book, you will feeling very informed and confident to help your child receive the best of care. ... Read more

Product Description
Every day can be an ordeal for families struggling with the difficult, moody, "impossible" behavior that may point to childhood depression or bipolar disorder. Effective help for kids does exist, but it often requires a customized combination of medication, therapy, coping skills, and support. From esteemed clinician and researcher Dr. Mary Fristad and fellow treatment expert Dr. Jill Goldberg Arnold, this indispensable book explains how treatment works and what additional steps parents can take at home to help children with mood disorders--and the family as a whole--improve the quality of their lives. Explained are why symptoms look so different (and can be so much harder to manage) in children and teens than in adults, how to find the right doctor or therapist, and how to help kids develop their own "coping toolkits." Bursting with practical tools, FAQs, and examples, the book covers everything from dealing with medical crises to resolving school problems, sibling conflicts, and marital stress.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Informed, humane, experienced advice
This book is so well informed and engagingly written that I read it in a way I almost never read `advice' books: start to finish. It begins by dispelling the myths that keep moody children from getting help, moves to identifying different problems and their severity, and then lays out recent research as to the causes of disorders. Parts II and III discuss getting treatment ("Who are the players in the system?" is a particularly useful section for the uninitiated, as are sections on managing medication and making the right judgment about therapy) and "Helping Your Child to Cope"--sixty pages of clear and humane advice. (This section includes everything from understanding the law regarding educational services to managing dire crises.) Part IV addresses the affect that mood disorders can have on a family, once again offering practical suggestions that are never without the conceptual rigor that drives the book. Engaging examples of children who seem like real human beings, not specimens, are put forward in every chapter. The authors' thirty years of collective experience in working with families shows.

My favorite section is found in Chapter Five, "Getting the Big Picture." After having shown the main difficulties in sorting out a child's mood problems, the authors suggest some "rules to live by." Given how complicated mood disorders can be, you might wonder how the general "rules" here could be correlated to the "problems." Here is an example. "As you learned in Chapter 4, children's mood disorders often come with associated problems or co-occuring disorders. Families we've worked with have found it helpful to think about their problems as falling into separate `piles.'" The authors then give examples of children with more than one problem and explain how these can be best managed by distinguishing them. "One pile may be left alone in a corner until other piles are dealt with." We do this (and fail to do this) all the time in other spheres of life. Have you ever burnt something on the stove because you're talking on the phone? In the world of emotion, however, multi-tasking becomes more treacherous. The problems of a disturbed child will seem overwhelming unless you learn how to look at each problem separately. The authors have a gift for teaching parents how to break things down without losing a sense of the child as a whole person.

Julia Brown

Raising a Moody Child is no easy task
This book was helpful in describing different types of biploar disorders.
It also described how people have adjusted to and accepted the mood swings their children go thru while dealing with medication trial and errors. Every child is different and there is no cut and dried "recipe" for bipolarity treatment.
It was most helpful for me in deciding to purchase this book to "look inside" the book. Being able to view the table of contents and an excerpt from the book helped me decide if this book was the help I was looking for. And it was.
The book also described how the entire family is affected and their involvment in the solutions, which I found to be helpful to know we were not alone in our struggles.

Wow!Someone else understands us completely!
I just bought this book and received it yesterday, and it's already making an impact in my life.I can't believe that someone else's family has gone through exactly what we're going through with one of our kids.I'm looking forward to getting a lot of help and great ideas from this book, and hoping to learn to cope better with my moody child, without so many feelings of guilt in the process.

A Must Read
Although The Bipolar Child had great insight as to why my child was diagnosed ADHD at 6 and then rediagnosed Bipolar at age 14, I found this book to be extremely helpful as to what needs to follow now that my son is Bipolar.I have to agree with one of the other reviews written, that this book contains information parents are "assumed" to already know, when in fact, we do not.If you have a child suffering from Bipolar or depression, I highly recommend reading this book.

Great book for parents.
I work as an inpatient clinician on a child/adolescent unit.This book answers the questions and gives the guidance I am frequently asked for.Clearly it is a book that was written by very knowledgable professionals who have a compasionate understanding for what the overwhelmed parents of these children need. It is clearly written and full of practical advice and useful tools. I strongly recommend it for anyone with a child/teen with a mood problem.If you know one of these parents-buy it as a gift for them-they are probably too busy dealing with their life to get it for themselves. ... Read more