How Bipolar Disorder Effects Children and Adolescents in School
Axia College of University of Phoenix
Many reasons exist why children and adolescents have problems in school varying from difficulty with skill levels, larger classes, inadequate resources, learning disabilities, problems with home life, time management, and bullying, just to name a few. The list can go on and be tailored to each student differently because each is an individual with different strengths, goals, issues, and needs. Sometimes these obstacles come from a mental illness that is not yet known in the student and can make school practically unbearable because of the disease’s side effects. Children and adolescents with Bipolar Disorder face a constant struggle to succeed in the classroom because of the symptoms and side effects they encounter on a daily basis.
According to the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (2002) “Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a serious but treatable medical illness. It is a disorder of the brain marked by extreme changes in mood, energy, thinking and behavior. Symptoms may be present since infancy or early childhood, or may suddenly emerge in adolescence or adulthood.” Bipolar Disorder is increasingly becoming common in children, and doctors are now able to diagnose the disorder earlier and earlier in a child’s life; however, how common the disorder is in children is still unknown because of lack of research and evidence. Another hurdle to overcome in order to diagnose Bipolar Disorder in children and adolescents is to determine what type and severity of the disorder they may have. Different types of Bipolar Disorder exist, such as Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothemia, Mixed Moods, and Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (NOS) where the doctor cannot determine what type of the disorder the child falls into.
Even with different types of Bipolar Disorder, the symptoms are mostly the same; the type of disorder is...