Bipolar is widely believed to have a genetic component, but having a parent or parents that is/are bipolar doesn't guarantee that the child will be. Even having a bipolar twin doesn't gaurantee the other will be. I'm bipolar and neither of my parents are, but I have a grandparent who was. I have a child and I sincerely hope that he does not develop the illness. So, it seems possible that the child has the potential to be bipolar, but it doesn't mean he will be for sure. There are many studies about this both past and ongoing. It will be interesting to see what they come up with in the future regarding detecting this disorder genetically.