- Does My Daughter Have Epilepsy?
QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I am so pleased to find your sight. My daughter has had emotional problems since the onset of puberty. She is unable to function in school and does not develop close friendships. She also suffers depression and rages. Her physician believes she is bipolar and also has borderline personality disorder. As a young child she was also diagnosed ADHD. Amelia is very bright, was walking at 8 months, spoke in sentences from the getgo and has been a very nurtured and loved child. I feel she has a neurological problem associated with epilepsy and would like to look into this further. My youngest sister is epileptic and has suffered grand mal and petit mal seizures all of her life. Do you think I am going in the right direction?
Thank you.
ANSWER:
The most likely diagnosis is childhood onset bipolar disorder, and there is no reason she can’t also have ADHD. The book “The Bipolar Child” by Dr. Papolos can give you enormously important information. I’m highly suspicious bipolar is a form of epilepsy – nerve cells firing inappropriately and out of control. I have a questionnaire I use for my child patients.
