The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder...

The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder -- Third ... | Demitri Md Papolos, Janice Papolos | Simply the Best!

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The Bipolar Child:...

	The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder -- Third ... Demitri Md Papolos, Janice Papolos Broadway, 2007 - 496 pages average customer review:based on 117 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

What's in a name

It's a very comprehensive book directed at parents but containing a lot of technical information about neuroscience within its 440 pages. Part II "Inside the brain and mind" would be heavy going for anyone without a medical or scientific background although the writing is admirably lucid.
I did not find any arrors of fact but readers should be aware that the Papolos's extend the diagnosis of bipolar disorder beyond what is generally accepted. They may be right but at present there is no objective test like a blood test or an X-ray to prove the diagnosis. It is often suspected when a child is made worse by drugs in the Ritalin class, which is a tough way to make a diagnosis. A strong family history of classical manic-depressive illness as described by Kraepelin is another clue. Most diagnoses of childhood mental ilnesses are fuzzy. (The DSM criteria have aroused a lot of sharp satirical comment). One result is that that a lot of the medication use is empirical "let's try this and see."
The Papalos's also emphasize the possibility that treatment of depression with an anti-depressant drug can precipitate mania. This can happen in adults but its implications for treatment are controversial.
They tend to be over-optimistic about the effects of many anti-convulsant drugs and perhaps give too much credence to single reports of spectacular improvement.
I appreciated their harrowing but warmly sympathetic descriptions of life with a severely mentally ill child and how to cope with the well-meaning (or ill-meaning) critics who say things like "give him to me for a week and he'll be different child."
It's a very practical book for parents in the the United States in dealing with questions like the costs of treatment. The advice about gaming the system and the the complexities of IDEA and IEP etc is particularly good although it is so detailed and specific that it would not help much in other countires, even Canada.

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Simply the Best!

This book was written by experts in the field of child/adolscent bipolar! I consider it my 'bipolar bible'! It gives you EVERYTHING you need to parent a bipolar child. Everything from symptoms, medications, school issues and helps, agencies that can help, how to discipline, etc. You can read other books but this one will stop you in your tracks! So, go ahead and read others - but be sure you get this one too!

EXCELLENT RESOURCE

I have read a lot of data about pediatric bipolar disorder, but this book was the most comprehensive and accurate resource I have encountered. I refer to it as "My Child 101". All you have to do is put her name on it because it is a complete description of what she/we deal with everyday. If you need information on pediatric bipolar disorder this is the only resource you need. It is excellent.

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The Bipolar Child by Demitri Papolos

This book provides an explanation of Bipolar Disorder in terms that parents, family members, and nonmedical people can easily understand. As a parent of a child with this disorder, it has helped me better understand the mental processes and resulting behaviors that my son displays. It was a comfort to read the testimonials of other families, learn about the support groups available, and access real strategies for coping on a day-to-day basis. If you have a child, a family member, or know someone with Bipolar disorder, this book will help you!

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, page 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

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