Abstract
Objective: The literature on bipolar in children and adolescents was reviewed to provide an update for clinicians.
Review process: Literature of particular relevance to evidence-based practice was selected for critical review.
Outcomes: An up-to-date overview of clinical features, epidemiology, prognosis, aetiology, assessment and intervention was
provided.
Conclusions: Bipolar disorder in children and adolescence is a relatively common, multifactorially determined and recurring
problem which persists into adulthood. Psychometrically robust screening questionnaires and structured interviews
facilitate reliable assessment. Multimodal chronic care programmes involving medication (notably lithium) and familyoriented
psychotherapy are currently the treatment of choice.