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!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Another Summer Camp For BP Kids in No. CA.

I found another great-looking camp for bp kids in Walnut Creek, CA, called Camp Opehay, run by the Youth Bipolar Foundation of Northern California. The camp seems to be a weekend-only camp for kids up to age 17, who are relatively stable and functional. I put the link under my Great Websites/Resources tab below.
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3 comments:

asplashofsunshine said...

NO WAY, really?!??!?!? That is super close to us. I will have to look into it for the future. I am soooo glad I found your blog!

March 26, 2010 at 11:37 AM
Hartley said...

The camp is only for kids 10-17. : ( My son is just turning 9 this spring.

But it is DEFINTELY on the list for next year!

I have tons of family in Northern CA, and grew up there myself.

Thanks Megan!!
Hartley
www.hartleysboys.com

March 26, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Kristen said...

I think there used to be a camp in Livermore that was about a week long for kids 9-17. Dr. Kiki Cheng was involved.

March 27, 2010 at 12:24 AM

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