The best of news and research articles from publications nationwide, as selected by the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, updated weekly.

This paper is Melissa DelBello's contribution to CABF's series, Translation of the Scientific Evolution of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder.  The series presents the leading researchers' contribution to the field.  It describes the programmatic approach and direction of the labs, the seminal questions which drive their research, a listing of their most important findings and a summary of how their work impacts the field.  CABF is very grateful to Dr. DelBello for sharing her vision with our readers.

If teens who are at risk for developing psychosis can be identified and treated before the onset of a full-blown illness, they have a chance to bypass years of disability. Understanding how genetic defects can lead to the symptoms of psychotic disorders may someday allow doctors to give at-risk teens an even better chance at ongoing health than they have today.

Summer has finally arrived.  It’s time for relaxing…going to the pool, baseball games, BBQs, or even taking off on a family vacation.   Unfortunately, as a parent of a child with a serious mood disorder, you know that summer isn’t necessarily relaxing.

by Nanci Schiman, MSW, CAPSW, CABF Program Manager

Nanci Schiman, CABF
Program Manager
Expert Chat with Mental Health Youth Advocate Linea Johnson Rescheduled

Join us on Thursday, July 15 from 1 – 2 pm CT.  If you are the parent of a teen or young adult you (and your teen) will not want to miss this chat.

I’ve been involved with CABF for more than eight years: first as a member of the Board of Directors, and as Development Director for the last two. I found CABF for the same reason as most of you – I am the parent of a child with bipolar disorder. 

My son, Gus, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age eleven, less than a year after my husband died from pancreatic cancer. Needless to say, our lives were turned upside down and the next several years were very tough. Gus’s symptoms grew worse and he ended up being hospitalized four times within a period of 2 ½ years.

This paper is Jean Frazier and David Kennedy's contribution to CABF's series, Translation of the Scientific Evolution of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder.  The series presents the leading researchers' contribution to the field.  It describes the programmatic approach and direction of the labs, the seminal questions which drive their research, a listing of their most important findings and a summary of how their work impacts the field.   CABF is very grateful to Drs. Frazier and Kennedy for sharing their vision with our readers.

Susan Resko, M.M.

Differences between research groups in the approaches used to diagnose bipolar disorder in children and adolescents have limited the comparability of findings across research studies and have impeded progress in understanding the course of illness, in delineating etiology, and in developing efficacious interventions. The purpose of this meeting was to take an important step forward in resolving these methodological discrepancies.