Several conditions have symptoms similar to bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. Initially, symptoms may be so similar that your child can be misdiagnosed with another condition when, in fact, your child has bipolar disorder. However, bipolar disorder is a condition with distinct features that a doctor can separately diagnose with a proper evaluation.

Disorders that might initially have symptoms similar to childhood and adolescent bipolar disorder include:¹

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a behavioral condition in which people have trouble paying attention, may be more active than normal, and tend to act without thinking.
• Conduct disorder, a childhood or adolescent disorder that involves defiant behavior, such as violating social rules or hurting other people.
• Substance abuse problems, repeated use of alcohol or drugs even though this use causes unpleasant or distressing events in the user's life.
• Depression, an illness that causes a person to feel sad and hopeless for much of the time.
• Schizophrenia, a severe brain illness that, without treatment, interferes with the ability to think clearly, manage emotions, and interact with other people. It causes symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and disorganized thinking.
• Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), which can sometimes cause symptoms of mania (such as excitability or being overly energetic).
• Neurological problems. These conditions can include:
  • Head injuries, which can have effects that last weeks, months or in some cases, a lifetime.
  • Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of social and communication skills. Examples include autism, Rett's disorder, and Asperger's syndrome.
  • Multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological disease of the central nervous system, specifically involving the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.
  • Stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel (artery) that supplies blood to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot.
  • Seizure disorders. Seizures are sudden bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that may affect a person's muscle control, movement, speech, vision, or awareness (consciousness).

ADHD, substance abuse, and conduct disorder may also occur along with bipolar disorder.