There are three main types of medicine that is used to treat bipolar disorder: mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, and anti-depressants. Mood stabilizers do just that—the medicine stabilizes the mood swings so that the person is able to focus on the concepts learned in talk therapy. Anti-psychotics help with minimizing or eliminating the psychotic episodes during extreme moods such as auditory or visual hallucinations. The anti-depressants help elevate the depression felt by some people with bipolar disorder (and other mood disorders). One or a combination of all of these types of medicines may be necessary.
There are only a handful of these medicines approved by the FDA to use for treating children. This is because there are so few controlled studies using children. This is also true for many medications used in children- even such as those used in treating pediatric cancer patients. This is because neither the pharmaceutical companies nor the government are keen on using children as guinea pigs. This leaves the option of using drugs used for adult patients with bipolar disorder to be adapted for use in children. Adapting FDA approved medicine for adults to use with children and adolescents is legal and quite common in the United States. Each parent should discuss this issue with the prescribing doctor before his or her child takes the medicine.
There needs to be more research on using these medicines because the side effects can be dangerous and the effectiveness needs to be evaluated. Children process drugs differently than adults (sometimes needing more of one drug or less of another than an adult would use). There is a test to determine how your child’s liver processes drugs, called the Cytochrome P-450. This may help a physician determine which drugs may produce adverse effects.
Yours truly has resisted using medication in her children for many years. However, there comes a time when there might be a need that outweighs the risk. There are some medicines that have been around for years and studied for decades. Just because something is the latest does not make it the greatest. Conversely, just because something is new doesn’t mean it can’t be good. Currently, Thomas, Ms. Sedlock’s oldest son, uses a sleeping pill. Her youngest son, Brandon, is not on any medication at all. Both have autism and there are certain drugs that claim to alleviate the symptoms of autism, including something like Focalin which helps concentration. Both children do well enough in school that it is not necessary to put it on the list of “things that can help” for her children. However, there may be children out there that do need such a medication. It is up to each parent to do the homework on the medicine and to have a discussion with the prescribing doctor.
Comments
Excellent Article! I review Seroquel and Cymbalta on my examiner page. I didn't believe in meds either until I took a psychopharmacology class and learned how meds can help stop physical symptoms associated with mental illness. They can give ppl a chance to deal with their issues and develop plans.
Paul Bright
SF Mental Health Examiner
Paul- Thanks for reading and commenting! I've heard remarkable things about Cymbalta alievating the pain with depression. I have fibromyalgia and one of the drugs they wanted me to try was Cymbalta. It didn't work for me, but that's because my pain isn't due to depression. Others I know have taken it and have returned to work after previously been on disability.
The physical pain associated with depression is real but also very treatable.
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