Clinically, it consists in switches between depressive episodes and "manic" episodes (reduction of sleeping needs, psychic and physic acceleration, irritability, hyperactivity, unusual and inconsidered buyings).

It seems that this illness could develop very early during childhood or adolescence :
As you can imagine, the consequences of this unknow (and almost never diagnosed disease...) are very important ! (developmental, familial, scholar, relationnal impairments)

Our research team is clearly involved in clinic and research centered on depressive and bipolar illness in children and adolescents.

Symptoms of Early Onset Manic Episode

Symptoms of elated affect	Hyperactivity
Happiest of people : infectious, elated, amusing affect Irritability Fits of Anger, Fits of Destruction Happy laughing in the context of miserable history (e.g school suspensions, family fights) High and inflated self-esteem ("I'm the cleverest boy", "I'm Superman : I can fly") Believe that they are "above" the law	grandiose delusions Harass adults, teachers (e.g about how to teach the class) High and continuous activity levels Flight of ideas, more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking Hypersexuality (e.g may masturbate openly and frequently, call the 1-900 sex phone lines)
Psychomotor symptoms	Other Symptoms
Cognitive disorders ( lack of attention) Logically, Bad School results Never tired Doesn't want to go to bed, claiming he/she doesn't need any sleep	Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities with potential painful consequences Sleep disorders, with decreased need for sleep Exaggerations of usual childhood hopping around on trees or between roofs, based on beliefs that they are above the possibility of danger

These Manic Episode can occur abruptly and last between a few days to several weeks.

Of course, hyperactivity and mood lability is normal and "developmental" among children and adolescents : thus it would be dangerous to diagnose a manic episode each time a child is more talkative than usual or keeps saying he's Superman !

Anyway, in some cases these episodes are sufficiently severe to cause marked impairment in usual social, familial, scholar activities and sometimes it's necessary to prevent harm to self or others.

Finally, a manic episode follows or precedes a Depressive Episode

Bipolar disorder (or manic-depressive illness) is characterized by one or more Manic episodes accompanied by Major Depressive Episodes.

For further informations, PLEASE CONTACT US !.

Doctor Frederic KOCHMAN

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