Do temper tantrums express bipolar disorder, ADHD, or GAD?
Children with bipolar disorder have rages, which are so intense that they cannot control themselves; children with ADHD and GAD have temper tantrums or meltdowns, the latter being when children are very angry and throw temper fits. Children with ADHD and GAD generally experience meltdowns from frustration or high anxiety. They scream, cry, rant, throw themselves around, threaten, curse, and throw objects. However, you can talk to them and get through to them. They have some control over the reaction, as their “thinking brains” are still somewhat in charge. This is not the case in a bipolar rage where the child loses control. In fact, a child in the midst of a rage related to bipolar disorder does not respond to direction. Does impulsivity express the hypomania of bipolar disorder or another condition? Destructive impulsivity such as fire-starting and dangerous play is frequently correlated with bipolar disorder. Very young children who have bipolar may also demonstrate sexually inappro
