My 6 year old daughter was discharged from a psychiatric hospital yesterday. She was admitted last Sunday for partial hospitalization. She has distinct periods of mania and depression and ultradian cycling in between them. We had a heck of a time finding someone to actually listen to us. I finally broke down and took her to the emergency room on the 22nd after she had (what we refer to as) a climaxing manic episode where she became a danger to others. Her manic cycles seem to just pile on mania symptoms until she explodes into a full mania. It’s bizarre and not something I’ve consciously noticed and I’ve been with my husband (who is clinically diagnosed as Bipolar I) for 12 years. In any case, she was still coming down when admitted.

The entire time in the hospital, she was rapid cycling except for the very last day. Depression has set in for her. They recorded it as best they could but it’s very easy to tell with her where she’s at. Hospitalization seems to be exactly what she needed and is doing very well now. I suspect she’ll get admitted at least once before she turns 18 but right now, she’s doing well.

She has ADHD, which they mucked around with on her medication to get it under control so they could clearly see her mood shifts. And she also has juvenile onset bipolar disorder. Well, that’s what the psychiatrist diagnosed her with but I suppose she’d also be called a bipolar disorder-nos. In any case, we’re dealing with a 6 year old who really has no clue why she does what she does and she’s scared to death.

I don’t have much on the medical side of things to be worried about. She has a huge team of doctors and therapists working with us as a family and with her as an individual. Her dad is very helpful and since he pretty much knows what she’s feeling, he tries to help her. It’s become an odd sort of bonding experience for the two of them. And I have my experience managing someone with bipolar disorder in manic, depressive, and mixed episodes.


My main concerns involve school. Does she need an IEP for her disorder? It’s not currently disrupting her schooling (apart from missing a week due to hospitalization) but I get the distinct impression it may. She’s also bored because the work she’s doing isn’t challenging enough for her. They tested her at the beginning of the year and she was already at 1st grade level in every area. They placed her in the higher math and reading groups for kindergarten but I’m wondering if we should see about getting her placed a grade higher for math and literacy. With the way the school works 2nd-5th grade, she would be in a mixed age class that is only focused on the ability of the kids. Everyone tests within the same tier of ability (there are several. My 9 and 7 year old are in the same math class) so no one falls behind or gets bored.

And basically, what is it like? Prior to her admission and diagnosis, life was hell. No one would listen to my concerns because she was fine at school so it had to be something going on in the home. -_- She told her hospital therapist that the reason she is fine at school (and I’m putting this into adult terms) is because what little control she does have, she focuses a majority of it on keeping herself “normal”. She doesn’t play with other kids because the unpredictability of social interaction scares her. She’s created a coping mechanism for school so that no one there knows that anything is “wrong” with her. She told her teacher today that she doesn’t want anyone to know where she was and that she’s upset that he even knows. She’s very private about what she goes through.

I cried. My 6 year old has created a coping mechanism that I didn’t develop until adulthood. It’s heartbreaking that at her age, she’s recognized she’s not like other kids and that she does her best to hide it because she thinks no one will understand.


She lets loose at home though. Out in public too. My theory on that is that her social anxiety overrides her control.

I guess I’m just looking for someone who knows WTF I’m going through. It’s difficult for others to understand.