Learning as much as you can about bipolar disorder may help you recognize mood changes in your child as they
begin to occur. Catching and treating these mood changes early may help reduce
the length of the manic or depressive episode and improve the quality of your
There are steps you can take at home to
reduce your child's symptoms.
- Keep your child's room quiet, and have your
child go to bed at the same time every night.
- Control the amount of
stress in your child's life. You may need to seek ways to
help your child reduce academic requirements during severe mood
- Learn to recognize the early warning signs of your child's
manic and depressive mood episodes.
Steps your child can take to help control moods
- Getting enough exercise. During a depressive
episode, your child may feel like doing only gentle exercises, such as taking a
walk or swimming.
- Getting enough sleep and keeping a consistent
- Eating a balanced diet.
- Avoiding the
use of alcohol or drugs.
Substance abuse makes bipolar disorder
- Avoiding beverages that contain caffeine, including coffee,
tea, colas, and energy drinks.
- Learning to recognize the early
warning signs of manic and depressive mood episodes.
- Asking for
help from friends and family when needed.
- Bipolar Disorder in Children: Helping Your Child Prevent Manic Episodes
For some children with bipolar disorder, depression can
cause debilitating symptoms. For information about managing childhood
depression, see the topic
Depression in Children and Teens.