How Bipolar Disorder Could Make Preschool Difficult For Your Child (And How To Treat This Problem)
Your child has a variety of wild mood swings that has you worried they may not acclimate to preschool well. Unfortunately they may also be suffering from bipolar disorder, a mental health disease that creates an unbalanced emotional state. Understanding this problem, and how to manage it, can help your child be more successful in preschool.
Bipolar Disorder In Preschoolers Is Real
It may be hard for some parents to believe, but bipolar disorder may arise in a child as early as their preschool years. Unfortunately it is often misdiagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder due to fact that they share many of the same symptoms, such as hyperactivity and irritability. Failure to treat your child for bipolar disorder while sending them to preschool may create a difficult learning environment.
Ways It Could Make It Difficult For Your Child In Preschool
If your child has bipolar disorder, assimilating in a preschool environment could be a tricky prospect for them. For example, it could cause them to behave manically during an inappropriate time and make it difficult for them to learn important lessons. Or it could cause them to become depressed and unresponsive during key moments and fail to build personal relationships.
One of the main benefits of preschool is the way it helps build socialization skills in children. If your child is struggling to socialize with others due to bipolar disorder, they may not earn these skills easily. As a result, treatment for a bipolar preschooler should be undertaken as soon as possible.
Treatments That Can Help Your Child Acclimate To Preschool
Bipolar disorder is something that never goes away from a child's life, but if symptoms of it are caught early in preschool, treatment can be attempted. For example, there are certain types of medicines that will help calm your child's behavior and manage many of their bipolar disorder symptoms. These medications are used rarely or in small doses, though, so as not to interfere with the child's development.
Talk therapy and psychotherapy is often an effective way to teach children proper behaviors and coping strategies for their bipolar disorder. For example, they can learn to identify when their mood swings are occurring and can go to their preschool teacher to discuss them. In this way, they have an outlet for their emotional difficulties.
Though it may be difficult at times, it is possible to get your child ready for preschool even if they suffer from bipolar disorder. With your help and the understanding guidance of their preschool teacher, they can succeed at becoming a successful student.