ADHD Focus – Is it ADHD or BiPolar, or Both?

Have you ever wondered with your child or a family member might have bipolar disorder, in addition to or instead of ADHD?  Do the rages your child exhibits always represent bipolar disorder?  This can be a difficult distinction to make for health care professionals and yet it is an important one to make, due to the serious nature of bipolar disorder.  In today’s show my guest Dr. Robert Olivardio and I will discuss how parents and family members can provide information to the health care professionals they’re working with that can be very helpful in determining whether a bipolar disorder is present.  Dr. Olivario is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Lexington Massachusetts and also a clinical instructor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.  He specializes in the treatment of ADHD, executive functioning disorders, OCD, and issues faced by students with learning disorders.  He serves on the Advisory Boards of ADDitude magazine as well as national ADHD organizations.