What teachers and parents should know about early on-set bipolar disorder

• 발행기관: 한국특수교육학회
• 저자명: Hwa Lee
• 간행물 정보: 『한국특수교육학회 학술대회』2009 추계학술대회, 185~194쪽, 전체 10쪽
• 주제분류: 사회과학 > 교육학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2009.10.24

영문 초록

Rebecca Riley was diagnosed with bipolar when she was only three years old. According to her mother, Carolyn Riley, Rebecca’s problems began when she was only 2 years old. She was having difficulty sleeping and was hyperactive, for which she was seen by a psychiatrist. After several visits to the psychiatrist, a toddler who could barely talk was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was treated with cocktail of medications for mood stabilization (Seroquel), anti-psychotic (Depakote), and anti-seizure plus Clonidine, a blood pressure medicationmedications that would ultimately prove to be fatal. Both parents are currently charged with overdose of medication which proved to be fatal. (CBS, 2007) James was finally given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder at the age of 8 but the signs of bipolar occurred since infancy. Mary, his mother, indicated that he was excessively cranky and active from babyhood. She constantly blamed herself and her parenting skills for her son’s erratic behaviors. The diagnostic procedures began since his toddlerhood with hyperactivity and aggression at the age of 3. The developmental pediatrician diagnosedhim as having Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) for which he prescribed Zoloft, an antidepressant at the age of 4. At his preschool, someone had to be with him for the whole day on the days when he made it to school. Life at home was a nightmare; he would wake up vilolently angry, extremely cranky when things are not done his way, to name a few. His parents would often cry out of desperation. Then they took James to a pediatric psychopharmacologist, who prescribed Risperdal, an antipsychotic drug that is used to treat children with rage and aggression but often contribute to weight gain and risk for diabetes. Even with the medications and the one-on-one classroom aide, his behavior was not under control. Hewas then officially diagnosed with ADHD for which Ritalin was prescribed. The two stimulants made James even more nasty and angry and they needed to be stopped. Later he was diagnosed with depression, requiring more and different combinations of psychotropic medications. He later was prescribed with Depakote which is used to control seizure and/or mood stabilization. Later Depakote was replaced with Lamictal, a different kind of anti-seizure drug, and Abilify, another antipsychotic drug instead of Risperdal. Later, Lithium, another mood stabilizer that is quite toxic, was prescribed… Currently, no one is sure about James’diagnosis at this point and it was recommendedthat James attend a residential school as a possible solution for his learning issues and to give a family a break. (NY Times, 2007). The above vignettes are just two examples of many cases of children with mental health diseases. These vignettes show diagnostic difficulties that mental health experts go through, the chaotic family lives, and challenges that are faced by teachers for children with bipolar disorders and/or other mental health issues. This decade has seen increasing cases of mental health illnesses including bipolar disorder among young children. Early Childhood Education (ECE) & Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) professionals and families are in critical need for information and resources on young children who display characteristics of Early Onset Bipolar Disorder (EOBD). While these professionals may not be directly involved in the diagnoses of mental health conditionsof young children, due to the difficulties associated with accurate diagnosis of bipolar cases, ECE/ECSE professionals need to be aware of the up-to-date facts and evidence-based research on the characteristics, assessment, and support strategies for young children with bipolar disorder and associated conditions.

목차

Ⅰ. Early Onset Bipolar Disorder (EOBD)

Ⅱ. Diagnostic Challenges

Ⅲ. Early Onset Bipolar Disorder

Ⅳ. Intervention/Treatment

Ⅴ. Conclusion/Implications for ECE/ECSE Educators