When I became pregnant, almost eight years ago, the first thing that crossed my mind, after my initial shock and elation, was the fact that my child would be predisposed to bipolar disorder. Not only had I been diagnosed with bipolar, but my unborn son's aunt and grandmother on his father's side, had also been treated for depression. Since mood disorders ran in both families, his risk was high - anywhere from 15-75%. At the time, terminating the pregnancy was not an option, besides that, I wanted a child. I was deemed a "high-risk" patient, due to my condition and the fact that it was imperative that I remain on my medications. Luckily I had two very well educated physicians who watched my pregnancy carefully. I had a special ultrasound that checked for any type of abnormality in his spine, head or brain. By the time I gave birth, at the age of thirty, I was confident my son was as healthy as any other child. During my son's first months, he behaved like any other child his age. He ate well, he slept well and he accomplished every milestone right on schedule. At some point, this changed. I honestly can't remember exactly when, but he began having severe difficulty sleeping. It was my first clue that something was wrong. He also became agitated easily and had temper tantrums. At about two and a half years old his daycare facility told us they were not equipped to handle him and suggested a Montessori school where children have more freedom to do what they want. I switched schools and this seemed to ease some of his tension, but only for awhile. Within a year, it became apparent that his behavior was not the same as the other children. I consulted with the child psychiatrist who was in practice with my own doctor. They concluded that he had ADHD and prescribed medication for him. I knew that many children were diagnosed incorrectly with ADHD when they should diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Within six months, I knew that my son had been misdiagnosed. He was crying every day, still throwing tantrums and constantly getting into trouble. Luckily, I scheduled his psychiatrist visits once a month and the misdiagnosis was quickly caught and corrected. We weaned him off of the AHDH medication and started him on a low dose of lithium. He reacted quickly, which is fortunate, and within a short time he gained some control over his erratic behavior. By the time he turned five, he still experienced episodes on a weekly basis and we continued to adjust his medication, desperately trying to find the right combination. Before we found it, he attacked a teacher at pre-school and I withdrew him from school. Kindergarten loomed a few months down the road and to say that I was scared didn't begin to cover how I felt. Finally we seemed to find the right combination of medications and he started school. Almost immediately he experienced problems. The school even went so far as to suspend him for two days for some incident that involved a tantrum and hitting. We eventually placed him on an individualized education program (IEP) that met his particular needs and he started going into a special classroom with other special needs kids. Unfortunately this wasn't the correct program for him, but soon they started a behavior unit at another school and he was accepted into it. It was a miracle for him. By the end of the year he was attending class in the regular kindergarten. He spent his entire first grade year in the regular classroom as well, with only three or four short stays in the behavior unit and less than two dozen incidents throughout the year - vast improvement over his kindergarten year. Next year he will be in second grade. My hopes are high that he will continue on his path to success. We've encountered a few problems over the summer, but an adjustment in medication put him on track again. My son is the most loving, sensitive, caring child I've ever met. I still worry about what the future holds for us both, especially him, but I am confident we can overcome anything. If you suspect that your child's behavior isn't appropriate, please, take him to the doctor for an evaluation. Early detection of mental disorders is imperative for children. The sooner they can receive treatment, the better their chances are of leading a stabile life. |
