In approaching the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children, it is important to consider what is ‘normal’ behaviour for that child.2 In children, the presence of irritability can be used as a proxy for depressed mood, although chronic irritability in children is not sufficient for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.1,2
References:
1. Goldstein BI, Birmaher B, Carlson GA, et al., The International Society for Bipolar Disorders Task Force report on pediatric bipolar disorder: knowledge to date and directions for future research. Bipolar Disord 2017; 19 (7): 524–543.
2. American Psychiatric Association (APA). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth edition, text revision. Washington DC: APA; 2022.
3. Solmi M, Radua J, Olivola M, et al., Age at onset of mental disorders worldwide: large-scale meta-analysis of 192 epidemiological studies. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27 (1): 281–295.