Mood Stabilizers for Child and Teen Bipolar Disorder

While these medicines have been well studied for use in adults, there are no long-term studies that confirm the effectiveness and safety of mood stabilizers in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Be sure to use these medicines exactly as your doctor prescribes them. If your child has intolerable side effects with any of these medicines, call your doctor immediately.

Carbamazepine can interact with other medicines, and a doctor must carefully monitor your child's health when your child takes this medicine.^{Reference 4} Your child should not take carbamazepine along with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) because serious, sometimes fatal, reactions can occur.

Do not stop taking these medicines suddenly. Your child should taper off of these drugs slowly, with guidance from a doctor, to avoid negative and serious side effects.

Reference High blood levels of lithium carbonate can be life-threatening. At first your child will need to have his or her blood checked about every 2 weeks to measure the amount of lithium in the blood and to monitor kidney function. Make sure your child's doctor knows about all the medicines your child is taking. Some medicines can raise or lower the effectiveness of lithium. Some nonprescription medicines, such as ibuprofen (for example, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve, for example), can increase lithium levels in some people.

Regular blood tests are also needed to monitor the amount of carbamazepine and divalproex in the blood. And your doctor will need to test your child's liver periodically while he or she is taking these medicines.

Mood stabilizers may interact negatively with other medicines and should not be taken with some antibiotics or medicines that treat indigestion, seizures, or heart problems.

Mood stabilizers may increase the chance of birth defects. Be sure to tell the doctor if your child becomes pregnant.

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