What Works for Bipolar Kids: Help and Hope for Parents

by Mani Pavuluri MD, PhD, Susan Resko MM (Foreword by)

Overview

It may be hard to believe your child will ever get better, but kids with bipolar disorder can and do lead healthy, stable lives. In this compassionate and optimistic book, expert clinician and renowned researcher Mani Pavuluri delivers information, advice, and proven strategies that empower you to deal with the challenges of bipolar disorder and help your child get well. Drawing on 20 years of experience with bipolar kids and their families, she provides solidly researched strategies for reducing or eliminating problems with mania, aggression, sleep disturbances, depression, and other issues. You’ll discover practical ways to handle crises at home and in school, work with professionals to find an effective combination of medicine and psychotherapy, and cultivate a supportive community of friends and peers for your child. Dr. Pavuluri also helps you deal with the stress that comes with parenting, so you can maintain your poise, focus on the positive, and be a powerful advocate for your child.

Winner—American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781593854072
Publisher:	Guilford Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	05/08/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	274
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	4 - 13 Years

About the Author

Mani Pavuluri, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry and Founding Director of the Pediatric Mood Disorders Clinic and Pediatric Bipolar Research Program at the Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago. A widely cited expert on psychological disorders in young children, she has been listed as one of "America’s Top Psychiatrists" by the Consumers’ Research Council. Dr. Pavuluri is currently Chair of the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation's Professional Advisory Council.

Table of Contents

Foreword, Susan Resko
Introduction. Helping Your Bipolar Child: A Fresh Outlook

I. The Facts and Fundamentals: Knowing the Playground
1. Yes, Bipolar Disorder Does Occur in Children
2. Does My Child Really Have Bipolar Disorder?
3. Finding the Right Doctor and Treatment Team

II. Treatment That Can Help Your Child and Your Family: Finding the Solutions
4. Setting the Stage to Make the Most of Treatment: Principles to Get You Off to a Good Start
5. Managing Your Child’s Moods with Medication
6. Making Life Better with RAINBOW Therapy
7. Parenting with Poise: The Secret Ingredient for Success

 III. Pulling It All Together into Strategies for Specific Situations: Wisdom That Gets You Centered
8. Keeping the Peace at Home
9. Finding the Best School Setting and Programs for Your Child
10. Forming a Partnership with Your Child’s Teacher
11. Building Social Skills for Positive Friendships

* A Final Word

* Appendix A. Principles for Meeting the Challenge of Bipolar Disorder
* Appendix B. Child Mania Rating Scale—Parent Version (CMRS-P)
*Appendix C. Child Mania Rating Scale—Teacher Version (CMRS-T)
* Appendix D. Medication: Tracking the History of Response
* Appendix E. Pediatric Side Effects Checklist (P-SEC)
* Appendix F. Medications Used for Bipolar Disorder in Children
* Appendix G. Daily Mood Calendar
* Appendix H. Framework for a Physician-School Teleconference

* Resources

Interviews

Parents who are concerned about their child's moods and behavior, or who have already received a bipolar diagnosis. Also of interest to mental health professionals working with children and families.

Editorial Reviews

"Finally, a book about pediatric bipolar disorder that really gets it right, offering help and hope where so much misinformation and misunderstanding have interfered with parents' getting the best for their child. Given all the confusion about diagnosis and treatment, Dr. Pavuluri's book is a godsend for parents. Her writing is warm and welcoming, and her practical wisdom and common sense leap off the page."—Peter S. Jensen, MD, Director, The REACH Institute

"The approach in this book has helped me achieve new stability for my son. For parents in search of help, this book will become your compass for all that lies ahead. Dr. Pavuluri’s expertise, passion, and tireless effort shine through on every page. She provides excellent information on how to manage bipolar disorder, choose and communicate with care providers, and advocate for your child in the school and health insurance arenas. The book is refreshing in its overarching sense of optimism, empathy, and support."—J. McCarthy, parent

"It's as if Dr. Pavuluri wrote this book for me and my family! Reading it gave me a better understanding of why my son with bipolar disorder acts the way he does, together with tools to help alleviate his pain. Throughout, Dr. Pavuluri demonstrates her understanding of these children's feelings and provides invaluable explanations and resources. This book shows parents like me that we are not alone. It is truly inspirational, and has given me new hope for my son."—Laurie P., parent

"Dr. Pavuluri speaks frankly to parents, but with a comforting wisdom. She compares treatment to building a house—medication management is the foundation, psychological counseling provides the bricks, and family therapy is the cement that holds it all together. This book provides a useful and encouraging blueprint."—Gabrielle A. Carlson, MD, Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stony Brook University School of Medicine

"Dr. Pavuluri has seen it all—the stress on families, the frustrations in finding the right medications, the battles for support in school. This book will be a major help as you strive to make sense of your child's symptoms and the many different treatment recommendations you may receive."—David J. Miklowitz, PhD, author of The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide

From the Publisher

"The book contains a wealth of resources, and sheds light on appropriate parenting skills, effective relationships with the child's school, types of clinicians, available medications, and much more. What Works for Bipolar Kids is a very helpful resource for parents, and is also a good addition to the mental health clinician's list of recommended books on the topic."

Metapsychology Online Reviews

Reviewer: Arshdeep S. Jawandha, MBBS (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This compilation of advice for parents and caregivers of children with bipolar disorder is organized in three parts. Broadly, part I deals with basic questions parents might have. Part II provides the much needed, comprehensive psychoeducation that all parents will need, both at the time of diagnosis and on an ongoing basis. Part III provides advice about specific situations that might arise with children in relation to school or healthcare providers. The advice, however, is scattered throughout the book.
Purpose: This book provides information about bipolar illness, its treatment, problems encountered along the way, and possible solutions in simple and easy to comprehend terms.
Audience: The author intends this book for parents and caregivers of children with bipolar disorder, as well as youth with bipolar disorder. However, this is also a good sourcebook for psychiatry, psychology, or social work trainees who can pick up advice that they can offer clients in various crisis situations.
Features: Basic information about diagnosis, methods of evaluation, and a variety of treatment options is provided. Descriptive tables detail common clinical terms related to bipolar disorder and various degrees, clinical titles, and roles that health professionals play, thus helping parents demystify the healthcare provider system. Some common questions, such as the role of heredity, parenting styles, etc., are nicely addressed. Advice for parents on how to handle crisis situations is included, while the need to maintain a good parent-child relationship is strongly emphasized, along with simple ways to achieve this. The subject of medications, side effects, risks of stopping suddenly, and lack of compliance are discussed. The book also addresses the very important topic of how parents must modify their own expectations and enhance self care as they care for their sick children. There is a clear cataloging of alternative treatments as well as the bogus treatments. A unique RAINBOW approach is discussed and information about child and family centered therapy is included, along with methods for, and the importance of, teaching children social skills. Methods of engagement with doctors and school are outlined, educating parents about the terminology used in the various areas, which in itself will help reduce parents' anxiety. At the very end are appendixes that help parents quickly revisit the basic principles of care of children with bipolar disorder, mania rating scales, lists of medications and side effects, and a nice compilation of a framework for a school teleconference. All of these resources can be quickly accessed as needed after the book has been read and shelved.
Assessment: Though it will be read only by motivated parents and some of the terminology may be hard for parents to follow, overall this book will help readers become informed consumers of healthcare services and empower parents of children with bipolar disorder.

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