Is it possible for a 4 year old to be diagnosed with bipolar?

possible but it is difficult. Many health professionals don't believe children that young can be bipolar so you might have to search for someone who is willing to undertake the testing. The information to determine if a child is bipolar has to be collected by watching behavior over a period of time (along with family history). If you start the process at 4 years of age it might take a while for the actual diagnosis. I have a daughter who was finally diagnosed at age 10 but it took a few years to find a psychologist who would take us seriously. My ex-wife had to be diagnosed bipolar before they serious looked at the possibility of bipolar disorder in my daughter.

I think all 4 year olds are a little "bipolar"! At that age they're going through so many changes and learning so much that they tend to be moody! But to truly be diagnosed as being truly bipolar I believe they have to be at least 8 to 10 years old!

Not impossible but very very hard to do.....I also have a 4 year old that I believe is bipolar but for a doctor to make such a diagnosis at such a young age is almost impossible. You also need to be careful because they will most likely try to diagnose ADHD first and of course those medicines will do nothing for a child with bipolar.

It would be rare, and the accuracy of such an early diagnosis might be questioned. A diagnosis of major depression may be more accurate and more common. Bi polar disorder is equally diagnoses between males and females, but the course of the disorder needs to be adequately tracked over time to accurate assess and treat.

My brother is bypolar and manic depresive. He was diagnosised at that age and placed on meds - that only made it worse. It made is rage and anger and his depression and mood swings more explosive. By the time he was 12 he was he was too much to handle and began refusing to take the meds. He did better on his own. He is grown now and on meds and doing great but I watched the hell he went through trying to adjust as such a young afe to the meds that his doctor was using. He has a son who has been diagdosed with ADHD and he is taking meds for it. His son is 6 now but was 4 when he started taking them...Everyone says he is bypolar like my brother but I don't see it. He has have alot of inconsistancy in his short little life and I think alot of his behavior is because of that...I am very consistant with him in everyway - fairness, rules, and especially disiplin. He is living with me and I am slowly (with the help a physician trying to ween him off the meds) for a while longer at least. He may need them when he gets older but for now he needs to be loved and for me to teach him how to act and react to problems and situations that life brings. The doctor I take him too says that bypolr can't effectively be diagnosised until after puberty because of the hormone changes in our bodies. I say wait before you let him go on meds...try putting alot of structure in his life and try not to make unnessessary changes in his life. Good Luck - I know how challeging this child can be...but I also know how great these kids are : )!!!

not very likely . as bi polar and add have common effects on children that age . only if bi polar is in his family genes . you should read up on add and ask you dr. if that could be a possibility . they tried to tell me my son had bi polar and his mental health Dr told me that in children it is really hard to diagnose bi polar most often they are diagnosed with adhd instead until they are older and other issues arise . you should do some more research on the issue before you allow them to label your child.

a lable is hard to remove .

good luck

Yes it is possible and the earlier they do the better the outcome for having a good kid come out ok and not a fruit cake.

though sometimes it is easy to lable and kid and give him drugs so as to not have to deal with a problem child.

I would say yes since my nephew was diagnosed with it at 5.

i don't see why not...but i would consider a 2nd opinion!