Are there any parents that have kids with early onset BiPolar disorder?

My son has been tentatively diagnosed with early onset bipolar disorder. He is 10 years old. He was previously diagnosed (at great expense) with ADHD. I am frightened for his future and there is little information out there about how to effectively parent a bipolar child. Anyone have experience with this? Hints, tips, advise?

You have to be stern with them. At the same time, take him to another psychiatrist, to see if they concur with the first Bi-Polar diagnosis. That diagnosis, IMHO is thrown around like, someone throwing their keys on the couch, when they come in the front door.

Well like your son, I was diagnosed with adhd, & that's because when your young its hard to determine what it is, & they often lean towards it. now i'm 15, & they say i'm bipolar && you know my mom was way too hard on me about it,&& i have medicine but i don't take it, because i dont want to be a zombie && i have like really bad memory, its suppose to just helps me with the day if someone gets me upset and troubled. but last year was so rough on me I'm now home schooled for awhile until i get back on my seat * not good it just gives me more time to think & makes it worse some days* but other than that, I am pretty okay & you and your son will be as well.

I am the mother of a 7 1/2 year old Bipolar boy. My #1 advice is to get a referral for a Neuropsych consult. This was the defining moment in our quest for treatment, because I have had very few people question this because of the accuracy of the testing. If you have them in your area find a mental health social worker that specifically deals in children's mental health for advocacy for you and your family. There will be amny people that will tell you that these people are bad, but they aren't all bad they help fend off a lot of the people who will try to tell you there is nothing wrong with your child. I have one and I don't know where i or my son would be without her. and let the professionals guide you a little I know this seems scary but they wouldn't be where they are if they didn't know anything... and the last and final peice of advice I would give STAY CALM, when you freak out so does your child. If you calmly tell them the little bit they need to know the better. 98% of the people that I have come into contact with are on this never ending negativity with every aspect of their childs illness, just remember even in the midst of the "insanity" there is a light and you need to as reassuring to your child as you can be because you are a team now whether you like it or not. My motto is my boy will be successful no matter what... what is success? anything he is happy doing even if it's painting fire hydrants if he's happy I'm happy... He will be successful...

I am not a parent, but my very close friend has BiPolar, aswell as severe depression. Many people will grow out of it after a certain amount of time, but I'm telling you right now, DO NOT put im on the meds unless it is completely necissary, It changes people.

My friend cannot remember parts of her life when she was on the pill, unless that memory is still here today (i.e. people, places, etc.)
so thats a couple months down the drain.

Well... My family is field with bipolar.

I personally... Have been tested for bipolarcy, because I went through a really bad stage... But wasn't diagnosed. They said it could come along though.... So be carefull..

But... The only thing that helped me was to have a strict parent.
I got over it... and now me and my parents couldn't get along better.