Treating Children with Aspergers and Comorbid Bipolar Disorder
Kids and teenagers with pervasive developmental disorders, including Aspergers, often are seen by pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, child psychiatrists, and other professionals as having a variety of behavioral and emotional disturbances (1–3). Aggression and self-injury are among the most common problematic behaviors that come to the attention of clinicians. In some of these kids and teenagers, these disturbing behaviors are symptoms of a comorbid psychiatric condition. However, many clinicians continue to view them as part of the underlying developmental disorder. In consideration of the long-term disability associated with the pervasive developmental disorders and the absence of specific pharmacological treatments for the core deficits of this disorder, it is of paramount importance to recognize and treat comorbid psychiatric conditions in these kids, which can substantially improve functioning (2, 3). This report summarizes a clinical case conference presented at McLean Hos