Pediatric bipolar diagnosis has spiked in the last 10 years

By Staff Writer

A recent article on Time.com reveals that the the number of bipolar diagnoses in children has increased over the last decade and, as a result, more kids are being prescribed anti-psychotic medication.

The news provider reports that a diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder has been widely accepted by the mainstream medical establishment. A bioethicist told the news source that the rise in bipolar cases, which used to be a rare diagnosis in children, has contributed to a significant spike in the sales of anti-psychotic medications.

Time also states that the biggest fines in U.S. history have been paid by pharmaceutical companies for marketing these medications without FDA approval.

According to Slate magazine, more than 8,000 children in Massachusetts are prescribed anti-psychotic medications, which is a concern to many who feel that there is not a sufficient amount of evidence about drug treatment for pediatric cases.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that children with bipolar disorder typically experience unusually intense emotional highs and lows, also known as manic and depressive episodes. Symptoms of bipolar are more extreme than normal mood swings and they tend to last for at least one week, according to the NIMH.