ADD and Bipolar - Pass it on to kids?...

[NinJaBob]

Hello I have ADD and Bipolar disorder. I have struggled my whole life with both of these disorders. I was offered no help with either disorder from either parent. To this day they think that it's all hooey. They think that I am wasting time with therapy and medication even though I have been hospitalized a couple of times because of complications

My question is can these be passed on to my children and if so when should I start looking for it. Maybe I should ask a doctor. I am interested if any other parents have had to deal with either of these disorders.

My son almost failed kindergarten screening because every evaluator said that he lacked focus. If he needs help I want him to get it so that he doesn't fall behind and struggle like I have.

I brought this up to his principle after kindergarten screening and she said that it was too soon to worry about it. I have been worried about it since we found out we were pregnant with him.

 

[Dadu2004]

I'm certainly no therapist or doctor but I do believe that these can be passed genetically. I would personally discuss this with a professional and keep an eye out for the warning signs.

 

[amcquinn]

Oh, I so hear you. I was worried about the same thing. My Mom was Schizophrenic/Manic-depressive and she committed suicide when I was eight years old. I was always worried about paying these genetic burdens forward and my worst nightmare came true as my son developed Autism/ADD. It became my personal mission to resolve these conditions for him without causing him any further harm. I was able to resolve his, and my issues, through homeopathic sequential treatment entitled Heilkunst. Jordan is 14, now as suffers no residue of these diagnosis. I was so blown away by the results and the fact that you could safely and effectively deal with the root cause of these issues, I became a Doctor of Medical Heilkunst myself and I wrote a book about Jordan and my recovery out of the genetic the matrix where the root cause of his conditions were anchored to.

 

[Teresa]

My first husband has ADHD, and he was a worrier when it came to our children. He started having Brian tested at age three, despite my objections, and watched him closely for years....he's now 22 and does not have/has never had ADHD. Our daughter, Adrienne, is another story....I knew before she was born that she was going to be a handful!! We had her tested during kindergarten, and tried a variety of nonmedication routes for the next two years before finally putting her on daily medication. She took herself off meds when she turned 18, and it's had a very negative impact on her life, unfortunately.
As for your child....I would take him to his pediatrician, and get a referral to a neurologist and a psychologist. Along with the usual psych workups that they use, be sure to get a CAT scan, PET scan, MRI, or some combination of the three, to check brain function. If there's not a noticeable difference in brain function between your child and a "normal" child, then it's most likely not an ADHD problem.

 

[NinJaBob]

We've had numerous test done on his brain because he has focal seizures (that's another thread) and everything has come back normal. Our Neurologist says that the focal seizures are caused by some connections in his brain not being developed yet. I sometimes wonder if that is contributing to some of the problems that he has regarding his development.

 

[Teresa]

From what I've learned through my research over the last 18 years, I'd say you are right. ADHD is a result of brain synapses not firing properly, so if some of his aren't fully developed yet, that could mimic ADHD behaviors. I'd say hang in there with him for a few more years, and you'll probably start to see improvement.

 

[NinJaBob]

I hope so. He just seems to be behind the other kids his age. Sometimes doing simple homework assignments that he brings home are a real struggle. I don't want him to fall behind but he really gets frustrated with the work.

 

[hoplessromantic1986]

&lt;r&gt;&lt;FONT font="Times New Roman"&gt;&lt;s&gt;&lt;/s&gt;Bipolar disorder can be genetically passed down to children. I remember reading in a study there is a higher risk if the father has bipolar. But there are other factors that contribute to it as well such as stress and environmental factors. My father was Bipolar but I was not diagnosed till I hit a really bad time in my life with stress and other factors. I was diagnosed very young with depression but not with Bipolar till I hit my early 20’s. &lt;e&gt;</SIZE>&lt;/e&gt;&lt;/SIZE&gt;&lt;e&gt;[/FONT]&lt;/e&gt;&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/r&gt;

 

[Xero]

I have read a lot about those disorders, and it is thought that it is possible both of those disorders can be passed on genetically. It doesn't mean it's definite, but it's possible. My ex boyfriend had two little brothers under the age of four that took medicine for ADHD, so I wouldn't call kindergarden too early. But I don't know. And my cousin's son I believe from the start has been ADHD, and she has it, so he gets it from her I'm sure. My sister got it from her dad.

I have Borderline Personality Disorder, or so I've been told. Who knows, I'm one of those people that thinks it's ridiculous to dwell over something that's in my head too, but it does scare me sometimes. I have also dealt with a lot of depression, and Eli's dad has gone through a lot of depression as well, and I've heard that can be genetic too, so I'm definitely worried about Eli. I know that depression and even BPD can be influenced greatly by the environment you are raised in though (maybe even bipolar, you never know) so I'm hoping if I raise Eli right, and in a good environment and whatnot, that we can avoid it. Who knows. All I can do is try.

But I feel your pain, and it does scare me. I know with BPD I wasn't an easy kid for my mom.

 

[Paramedic Dad]

A lot of psychiatric disorders can be passed on. Bipolar Disorder is one of them. I've got limited knowledge when it comes to ADD so I can't help you much there.

When dealing with mental illness there are a few things I suggest you keep in mind.

First, misdiagnosis happens. Especially with kids. They are developing and changing so fast that sometimes its hard to make a really solid diagnosis. Many psych disorders have very similar signs and symptoms but, have very different treatments. Its hard enough to get a good diagnosis in an adult. The result of this is incorrect treatment plans. This can give you a transient "bandaid" effect but, in reality isn't helping the underlying condition. Finding a physician who has pediatric experience and that your child likes are equally important. If your child doesn't like the doc he/she won't talk to him/her. As you can imagine, that makes the already difficult task of accurately diagnosing a pedi psych disorder even more difficult.

The next thing to consider is therapy, drugs, or both. Many people will swear by one or the other and say the other is the work of the devil. As far as that is concerned, I'm not a psychiatrist. I have however, had a great deal of experience with psych patients. My observations have lead me to believe the following: there are way to many variables to have a black and white answer to this question. And its not uncommon to require changes in treatment plans.

I guess the summary of my ramblings is that you need to be well educated about any conditions your child may be dealing with. Also, don't be afraid to get a second opinion regarding both diagnosis and treatment options. Keep in mind that in medicine, there are very few black and white answers.