Author Question: What are some of the concerns with medications such as lithium in treating a child who has been ... (Read 58 times)

tingc95 · **on:** Jun 22, 2018

What are some of the concerns with medications such as lithium in treating a child who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What are some of the concerns or difficulties in diagnosing a child with bipolar disorder?

What will be an ideal response?

thall411 · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Lithium is a common salt that is widely present in the natural environmentfor example, in drinking waterusually in amounts too small to have any effects. However, the side effects of therapeutic doses of lithium can be serious, especially when used in combination with other medications; side effects may include toxicity (poisoning), renal and thyroid problems, and substantial weight gain (Gracious et al., 2004). It can be given to young people when used with the same safety precautions and similar careful monitoring used for adults. However, lithium cannot be given to children in chaotic families or to children who are unable to keep the multiple appointments needed for monitoring potentially dangerous side effects (Carlson, 1994; Geller & Luby, 1997).

Answer to Question 2

At the center of the controversy is whether BP can be diagnosed in prepubertal children. Some clinicians avoid the use of this label entirely, and instead label young children who display unstable moods with the less stigmatizing categories of ADHD or depression. Others use the label of BP liberally in young children, often based solely on the presence of mood swings, irritability, and aggression, leading to concerns about overdiagnosis. Thus, clinicians presented with identical diagnostic information vary widely in their assessment of BP in children, from 0 risk to 100 risk (Jenkins et al., 2010). A focal point of this debate is whether BP looks the same in young children as in adults.