At Abilene we recognize that the needs of children and adolescents are different from those of adults. We’ve established separate units and programs for younger age groups to better address the developmental challenges that youth experience. Children are still growing, maturing, and developing, and do not have the same maturity as adults, therefore their bipolar disorder treatment is tailored to their needs.
Our staff at Abilene is trained to the differences in normal childhood development when the child or adolescent has bipolar disorder. We work with youth on their level and strive to make their environment warm, safe, and secure while they focus upon their treatment.
We know that youth do not live in a vacuum and strive to include family members in their child’s treatment, encouraging as much family participation as possible. Family participation provides much-needed support as the child works through difficult issues. At Abilene, we pride ourselves on being there for the whole family.
Why You Should Consider Inpatient Treatment for Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder
At Abilene we believe the key to successful treatment is a comprehensive evaluation and assessment. When a child or adolescent comes to us for treatment, we evaluate and assess them and also interview family members who provide additional information to help us create the best treatment plan for their child.
Like adults, children are unique individuals who come to us with different needs, ways of coping, views, and histories. Our individualistic approach helps children and teens feel heard and understood – an experience often lacking in youth with bipolar disorder. Often times others in the child’s life do not understand bipolar disorder. Their experience at Abilene may be the first time these youth don’t feel unlovable or unaccepted. In addition, parents are able to finally understand their child’s disorder and how to help.
Program Philosophy and Benefits
Abilene Behavioral Health is committed to quality and offer the gold standard of care for all of our patients. We believe that it is important to offer a continuum of services and levels of treatment to best provide for the needs of our patients.
We understand that families are concerned about their child, so we ensure that they are updated regarding their child’s progress. We integrate families into their child’s treatment plan so when it is time for the child to transition to a different program, the whole family understands the process. We aim to involve you in the decision-making process as we understand you know the most about your child. At Abilene, we treat the whole family.
Types of Therapy Used to Treat Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents at Abilene
Only a decade ago, many professionals did not believe that bipolar disorder existed in children and adolescents. That youth displaying emotions beyond the range of normal ups and downs had a more serious problem. This school of thought meant that there were limited treatment options for youth with bipolar disorder. However, now that bipolar disorder is accepted as experienced by individuals of all ages, advances in developmentally-appropriate treatment options have resulted in specific treatment approaches for different age groups.
Medication is usually the first step in treatment of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. While you may feel uncomfortable using medications for your child, rest assured that our medical staff is specifically trained in using medication to treat bipolar disorder in children. We take great care prescribing and monitoring effects of medications. Medications that may be prescribed include:
Antipsychotics – Several antipsychotics have been approved by the FDA to use to treat bipolar disorder in children age 10-17. While these medications can smooth out the extreme symptoms of both mania and depression, they can also result in lethargy so the lowest effective dose is always used.
Mood stabilizers – Lithium is a mood stabilizer that has been FDA-approved for use in children age 12-17. While this medication can be very effective at decreasing mood swings and extremes in children, the importance of compliance and preventing dangerous side effects is critical. Families must understand and follow dosing instructions exactly.
Anticonvulsants – While anticonvulsants have not been fully FDA-approved for use in children with bipolar disorder, they have been safely used in individuals with seizure disorders. Therefore, it has been determined that with close monitoring and a gradual dosage increase, anticonvulsants can be safely used to regulate the manic and depressive symptoms in bipolar youth.
Antidepressants – Certain antidepressants have been FDA-approved for youth with bipolar disorder. At Abilene we constantly monitor and assess your child for side effects, medication response, and effectiveness.
Psychotherapy in combination with medication, has been shown to effectively treat the symptoms and improve the quality of life in youth with bipolar disorder. We use a number of therapies for youth with bipolar disorder.
Play therapy is used with young children whose natural mode of expression is play behavior. Our staff are knowledgeable in using play techniques to help children express their experiences when they don’t yet have the words to communicate.
Family therapy is used to educate the family and provide support for their distress over their child’s symptoms as well as to improve and re-establish family relationships which may have become strained.
Problem-solving therapy helps children learn different ways of solving immediate problems as they occur.
Social skills therapy is often used in children with bipolar disorder. Even after treatment has been established and the child’s moods have leveled, due to years of social rejection, many children have failed to learn appropriate social skills. At Abilene we help them learn how to interact with others in a safe environment so they can rebuild a social network when they return to their community and school.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to help older children identify faulty thought patterns that are contributing to the frequency of the mood swings and negative consequences such as poor self-concept, guilt, or shame. CBT can only be used with adolescents mature enough to fully process their thoughts and identify the differences between adaptive versus maladaptive thoughts in order to change them.
Behavior modification system is often used on our adolescent unit so that children earn different privileges at higher levels as rewards for meeting and maintaining behavioral goals.
In addition to traditional therapies, we also employ a number of experiential treatments to allow your child’s continued healing. These include:
- Yoga
- Music therapy
- Anger management
- Recreational programs
- Spiritual counseling
Continuing Care – What Comes Next?
Our child and adolescent bipolar program uses strategies designed to help youth learn healthy behaviors to better cope with their struggles. Our ultimate goal is for these children to return to their families, communities, and schools able to take advantage of all life has to offer. We arm them with the skills to establish friendships, experience a healthy home life, and excel in school to allow future success and achievements.
In order to do this, we provide a range of programs to help children based upon their developmental level. When your child is ready to discharge, we work with you to establish a plan for continuity of care. We have inpatient programs and several outpatient programs at varying levels of intensity to provide a range of options for continuing recovery.
In addition to inpatient treatment, we offer two intensive outpatient programs. Our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provide numerous therapy services, differing primarily by the number of hours services are provided. We also have a traditional outpatient clinic used for youth whose symptoms are relatively well-controlled. We provide family services in each program.
If you or your child is struggling with bipolar disorder, please call Abilene for a free, confidential evaluation. We can help determine next steps.