Many people think of mental illness as problems adults develop. In some cases, mental illness, especially bipolar disorder, can develop in childhood. The condition is easy to confuse with depression or expected mood swings associated with the adolescent years. Fortunately, there are ways to accurately identify the problem and find help for your child.

Keep A Diary

Keep a private diary and make notations about your child's behavior each day before bed. This can include their personality or temperament, but also activities they participated in and if they had sufficient sleep. If your child is open to discussing school-related problems, make a note if there are any changes in their mood that could be explained by peer or school problems, such as bullying, isolation, or poor performance in school.

Be candid about your household situation and the how it may affect your child. Household stress, such as tumultuous relationships between parents or financial distress can also affect your child's mood, even if you believe you are doing a good job at hiding problems for your child. For female children of adolescent years, you may also want to include information that could be related to their cycle. Sometimes mood disturbances can be confused with pre-menstural syndrome (PMS) or pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which should also be addressed by a medical professional.

Speak With Your Family Doctor

After you have complied notes, speaking with your family doctor is the best resource for help. Ideally, your family doctor should speak with your child separately, because sometimes there are additional pieces of information your child may not feel comfortable discussing with you. Your family doctor can give you an idea if these problems warrant further investigation by a mental health professional. Even if the family doctor is not thoroughly convinced there is a mental health concern, it is always beneficial to have your child talk to a counselor or social worker who can help them work through various problems. Your family doctor or a counselor may decide referring your child to a psychiatrist is the best way to find an accurate diagnosis.

Avoid Being Dismissive About Medications

If your child is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, your psychiatrist will most likely recommend medications in conjunction with therapy. Many parents are hesitant or even dismissive about the idea of their child taking psychotropic medications. The goal of medications in the management of bipolar disorder is to balance your child's mood and make them more receptive to therapy. It can be difficult and sometimes impossible for therapy to be effective if your child goes through severe fluctuations in mood. Child psychologist typically limit the types and dosages of medications they prescribe to children. Although there is always the chance of side effects, many of them go away as your child become adjusted to their treatment regimen.

Having a child who seems moody can be difficult, but it is time to consider if the problem is more than the typical adolescent years. Documenting your child's behavior and asking for help can help you identify early-onset bipolar disorder before it spirals out of control.