Bipolar Case Study Essay

Intro & Characteristics
For my case study, I will be teaching a second grade English class with students from ages 7-8. In my classroom of about thirty students, I have one student, Johnny, who has a bipolar disorder. Usually children ages 7-8 are full of energy; cheerful and bubbly all the time. The transition from first grade to second grade is also the transition of a whole new mentality for them socially. In second grade, children start to separate into groups, because they now care more about what other children think of them. They are old enough to notice personality differences; they are old enough to pick who they want as friends. So for a child who has a bipolar disorder it is very difficult as it is to make friends. According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, the definition of a bipolar disorder is “Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).” One of the characteristics of children who are bipolar is feeling sad on a daily basis for no apparent reason. Johnny also tends to lose interest in making friends, as well as schoolwork. Johnny struggles to keep his grades up because he has difficulty concentrating. During break times, Johnny is

For the child dealing with the disorder, there are tips from other children with the same disorder. There are videos to watch, articles to read, and frequently asked questions that are answered already to take a look at. There are mood crossword puzzles, posters, and coloring books as well. For the parents, there is also a set of frequently asked questions already answered. They have resources, and articles, as well as organizations for the parents to look at. For the teachers, they have in person training sessions, and a guide that can be