Childhood Bipolar Disorder – How to Use a Mood Chart to Diagnosis Bipolar Disorder

Childhood bipolar disorder can frequently be misdiagnosed, as many of the behaviors in bipolar children are common among most kids. Your doctor will do the best he can to try to find the root of your child’s problems, however, no one knows your child as well as yourself. For this reason, it is best to keep a mood chart, in order to be able to self diagnose your child with bipolar.1.) Planner Purchase a pocket scheduler, which can be had for a dollar at a dollar store, or under five dollars at any drug store. Such a planner does not need to be fancy, just make sure you get a yearly one, so that you can monitor your child’s behavior over a long period of time.2.) Using The Mood Chart Bipolar disorder consists of mania, an excited state, and depression, a low state, and many different moods in between. Using a scale of 1-10, with five as normal, ten as extreme mania and one as extreme depression, write down your children’s behaviors over a set period of time. Make note of odd behaviors and moods, so that you have records for a later date. 3.) Be Consistent Keeping a schedule can be difficult, seeing as you can’t watch your child every second of every day. Try to set a goal of recording their mood every two hours. If they attend school or daycare, ask their teacher to make notes of any strange behaviors during the day.While you may be tempted to give up after a couple days, or simply forget, be persistent. If your child does have bipolar disorder, having a mood chart will allow you to see fluctuations in their mood over time, and will help your pediatrician make the right diagnosis.