Comorbid disorders make determining what symptoms are signs of bipolar disorder and which are due to other disorders (e.g., OCD, ADHD, disruptive behavior problems) difficult, leading to complications in treatment. For example, a common treatment for OCD are serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SRIs), however, SRIs can lead to mood instability and worsening bipolar disorder. The most common misdiagnosis for ADHD in the USA is pediatric bipolar disorder due to hyperactivity being described as prolonged periods of mania. Empirical research conducted in 2004 found that "bipolar disorder (in preadolescence) was initially misdiagnosed in 12 out of 24 youths" (Mahoney, 2004). This is a dangerous misdiagnosis due to the vastly different treatment forms. Firstly, ADHD does not require mood stabilizers like pediatric bipolar disorder. Secondly, the stimulants given to treat ADHD have been shown to cause psychosis and exacerbate mania in pediatric bipolar disorder (Wendling, 2009). This misuse of medication can lead to mood episodes, suicidality, and hospitalization. Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made based on a clinical interview by a psychiatrist or other licensed mental health practitioner. There are no blood tests or brain scans to diagnose bipolar disorder. Obtaining information on family history and the use of questionnaires and checklists are helpful in making an accurate diagnosis. Commonly used assessment tools include the K-SADS (Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia), the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC), and the Child Mania Rating Scale (CMRS).
Signs and symptoms
In both the American Psychiatric Associations DSM-5 and the World Health Organizations ICD-10, the same criteria used to diagnose bipolar disorder in adults are used to make the diagnosis in children with some adjustments to account for differences in age and developmental stage. For example, the DSM-5 specifies that in children, depressive episodes can manifest as persistently irritable moods.In diagnosing manic episodes, it is important to compare the changes in mood and behavior to the childs normal mood and behaviors at baseline instead of to other children or adults. For example, grandiosity (i.e., unrealistic overestimation of ones intelligence, talent, or abilities) is normal at varying degrees during childhood and adolescence. Therefore, grandiosity is only considered symptomatic of mania in children when the beliefs are held despite being presented with concrete evidence otherwise or when they lead to a child attempting activities that are clearly dangerous, and most importantly, when the grandiose beliefs are an obvious change from that particular childs normal self-view in between episodes. Controversy
The diagnosis of childhood bipolar disorder is controversial, although it is recognized that bipolar disorder typical symptoms are dysfunctional and have negative consequences for minors with the condition. Main discussion is centered on whether what is called bipolar disorder in children refers to the same disorder than when diagnosing adults, and the related question on whether adults criteria for diagnosis are useful and accurate when applied to children.