Bipolar Disorders: A Guide to Helping Children & Adolescents

After more than a year of fear, confusion, anger and spousal disagreements regarding our child's behaviors, my wife and I separated. Then we found out that our 14-year-old is almost certainly suffering from bipolar disorder, not just depression (the first diagnosis) or anxiety (the second.) Now, from houses 25 miles apart, we are beginning the journey toward appropriate medications, appropriate school placement, and understanding. I bought this book a month ago, and it took the whole month to read it. At 400 pages, it is nothing if not comprehensive. And it is scary as hell, but comforting as well. Mitzi Waltz is herself the parent of a bipolar teen, and she has a great gift for translating medical and psychological jargon into plain English. If you are in the same boat as we are, or if you have a young relative recently diagnosed with BP, buy this volume right now. Buy several. The price is great for what you get, and I suspect you will be referring to it continuously for years. It is not focused exclusively on teenage patients, either. Kids as young as eight have now been diagnosed with this miserable brain chemistry imbalance, which seems to be a life-long condition once it manifests. The book creates much-needed sympathy for BP victims, whose attitudes, actions and unpredictable moods can be infuriating and can turn parents against each other as both try different approaches to keeping their child safe and stable and successful. So far, our path has included two psychiatrists, four different medications, a four-day stay for the daughter in a juvenile mental health center, two school systems and now a home-bound program, and much heartbreak, frustration, sadness and screaming. Mitzi's book is the single best tool I've found to help myself cope.

Ms. Waltz has once again produced an excellent book that is clear and informative. In my practice of Psychiatry, I have found books like this are few and far between. I am using this book as a resource for all my Bipolar families. This book covers all topics related to Bipolar Disorder both esoteric and day-to-day living issues. If you're a parent or a loved one of a child (or adult)with Bipolar Disorder, read this. You will not go wrong. And after you're done, pass your copy onto your child's teacher or doctor. It will help you all get together on the same page. It's critical that our kids get the help they need. This book will teach you how best to advocate for your child.

Mitzi understands the relationship between parents and children who suffer from early-onset bipolar disorder. Her book addresses numerous issues that parents face on a day to day basis. She provides resources, support, and solutions. Truly an excellent book and one that all parents of children with bipolar disorder should keep at their fingers.

We found this book to be very helpful us to further understand our daughter's recent diagnosis as Bipolar. We found the information to be well presented, and easy to understand. The section on schools was very informative.