Considerations in managing bipolar disorder in young people

When treating a young person with bipolar disorder, consider that:

• multidisciplinary care should ideally be provided by a specialist service with practitioners experienced in treating bipolar disorder in young people, who closely collaborate with the young person’s family, carers or services (eg educational, juvenile, forensic) as appropriate
• there are fewer data on psychotropic use in young people because young people are poorly represented in clinical trials
• young people may be at greater risk of antipsychotic adverse effects including extrapyramidal adverse effects, effects due to elevated blood prolactin concentration, and weight gain. The general practitioner may be involved in monitoring for antipsychotic adverse effects; the young person’s weight should be measured regularly and they should be encouraged to maintain a healthy diet and exercise
• additional support should be provided when a young person transitions to an adult service, to facilitate effective transfer of care and prevent relapse.