Bipolar Disorder in School-Age Children

• Published in: The Journal of school nursing Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 152 - 157
• Main Authors: Olson, Patricia M., Pacheco, Mary Rae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2005; National Association of School Nurses; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Academic Failure; Alcohol Abuse; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; At Risk Persons; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Behavior Assessment System for Children; Behavior Change; Behavior Disorders; Bipolar Disorder - diagnosis; Bipolar Disorder - drug therapy; Bipolar Disorder - epidemiology; Bipolar Disorder - nursing; Bipolar Disorder - physiopathology; Brain; Caseworker Approach; Child; Child Behavior - psychology; Child Development; Child Health; Child Welfare; Children; Clinical Diagnosis; Conceptual Tempo; Cultural Influences; Death; Depression (Psychology); Drug Therapy; Educational sciences; Emotional Development; Environmental Influences; Etiology; Evaluation Methods; Genetics; Health Needs; Humans; Learning difficulties; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Narcotics; Nursing; Nursing Assessment - methods; Organic Chemistry; Parents; Prevalence; Psychological Patterns; Psychology, Child; School Health Services - standards; School Nurses; School Nursing - methods; School Nursing - standards; School work. Docimology. Guidance; Screening Tests; Special Needs Students; Substance Abuse; Success and failure; Suicide; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); United States - epidemiology; United States; case management; school nursing; bipolar; depression; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); mania; Learning Difficulty; Attention; Depression; Behaviour Disorder; Child Development; Suicide
• ISSN: 1059-8405; 1546-8364
• DOI: 10.1177/10598405050210030501

This article examines the individual components of bipolar disorder in children and the behaviors that can escalate as a result of misdiagnosis and treatment. The brain/behavior relationship in bipolar disorders can be affected by genetics, developmental failure, or environmental influences, which can cause an onset of dramatic mood swings and dysfunctional behavior. School is often the site where mental health disorders are observed when comparing behaviors with other children. Assessing the emotional, academic, and health needs of a student with a bipolar disorder is a critical step in designing effective interventions and school accommodations. Without appropriate medical, psychological, pharmaceutical, and academic interventions, a child is at risk for uncontrolled mania, depression, substance abuse, or suicide. The school nurse is part of the multidisciplinary team and plays a key role in facilitating case management to potentially reverse this possible negative trajectory. Successful case management provides children with bipolar disorder the opportunity to reach their academic potential.