Treatment-emergent mania in pediatric bipolar disorder: a retrospective case review.

Background: Pediatric bipolar disorder (BPD) can be misdiagnosed as a depressive, attention, conduct, or anxiety disorder and treatment with antidepressants and stimulants is common. Risk of adverse outcomes related to such treatment remains poorly defined.

Methods: We analyzed clinical records of 82 children (mean age 10.

Pediatric bipolar disorder: phenomenology and course of illness.

Background: Specific features and diagnostic boundaries of childhood bipolar disorder (BD) remain controversial, and its differentiation from other disorders challenging, owing to high comorbidity with other common childhood disorders, and frequent lack of an episodic course typical of adult BD.

Methods: We repeatedly examined children meeting DSM-IV criteria for BD (excluding episode-duration requirements) and analyzed their clinical records to evaluate age-at-onset, family history, symptoms, course, and comorbidity.

Results: Of 82 juveniles (aged 10.