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!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Survived the Holidays, and Then Some

This new friendship between Caroline and this girl has really blossomed over the break.  I just continue to pray that nothing happens to spoil this new relationship.  She has been burned a lot.

The kids go back to school on Monday.  I am thankful and sad at the same time.  The break has been good, from Christmas Day on.  I think everyone kind of relaxed after Christmas.  My husband and I enjoyed a night away on New Year's to celebrate our 20th anniversary, which was back in June but which we didn't have time to celebrate because of the move.  Thankfully Caroline is stable so we could go.

So I pray that your New Year will bring peace for your family, and hope, and some small victories.

Fondly, Megan

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear there is a new friend! It can be so difficult to start over.

Katie said...

Hi Megan, I just found your blog while searching the web for bipolar kids info... God must have known I needed to find this! Our 10- year-old daughter has BP, and oh what a journey we've had. And are having. I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story and your faith -it's so encouraging to see I'm not alone in this! :)

Megan said...

Hi Katie, thanks for commenting. I am always happy to know there are others out there going through much of the same stuff! Keep in touch!