About our Daughter

I am mother to four wonderful daughters, ages 17, 19, 21, and 23, and wife to the greatest husband on earth. God has given us a special child to raise one who was diagnosed with early-onset bipolar disorder at the age of seven, though she showed signs of it from the age of fifteen months. She also has ADHD, Sensory Integration Disorder (sensory seeking), Dyslexia, and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder-NOS, all typical comorbidities for a bipolar child. In spite of the trials, she enjoys lacrosse, running (finished her first marathon in October of 2014!), and reading and writing her own books. I will share with you the many joys and sorrows we have faced and will face in the future with the hope that you may find better understanding about this mental illness caused by both chemical and structural abnormalities in the brain. I desire that you will be encouraged by this blog if you are also dealing with a bipolar child. Thank you for reading and sharing in our journey.

How Did You Know She Was Bipolar So Young?

I wrote a long explanation of how we came to this bipolar diagnosis in a child so young under my post of March 19th of 2009. If your child or a child you know bears similarities, please seek out a good psychiatrist and don't wait for "things to get better." Often they will simply get worse, and the longer a child is unmedicated, the more damage their brain can accrue. Early diagnoses and treatment are key to providing these children with a chance at a successful life later as a teen and an adult.
Never change, start or stop a medication without the approval of your child's physician!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Something is Wrong

Something is out of whack with Caroline.  We started to notice it yesterday.  She is acting very belligerent and OCD, and explosive.  Darn!  So I guess we go back to the psych doc for an adjustment.  Haven't seen her like this in a long time.  Sigh.  We've had smooth sailing for so long that this feels like so out of the blue.
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2 comments:

Cassie said...

i just found your blog and i must tell you that i have found it so hopeful. my 6 year old son was just diagnosed with aspergers and mood disorder-NOS (my brother has bipolar disorder so they feel that they have to consider it).
i have spent the past week wrestling between my faith knowing that God can and will continue to take care of my son and my fear. i look forward to the encouragement that i will find here. thank you for being willing to talk about your experiences and share your faith.

May 11, 2012 at 9:08 AM
Megan said...

Hi Cassie! I am glad you found this blog too. I am so sorry that your son has this diagnosis. I know how hard this is. Really hard. The biggest advice I can give you is never stop being your child's advocate, always find the best docs you can, and switch if you must, and don't be afraid of medication. The parents who are often have the worst results. And pray! And help them to see that they are God's special creation in spite of their differences. Keep in touch!

May 11, 2012 at 7:03 PM

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