[Differential diagnosis and pharmacotherapy of juvenile mania -- a review].

Manic disorders and bipolar psychoses have long been underdiagnosed in child and adolescent psychiatry. Scientific research has been rare as well. In particular in adolescence and young adulthood bipolar disorders are not easy to diagnose. Therefore these disorders should be included in differential diagnosis as research from the U. S. shows that there is a significant number of these treatable patients. Being untreated sufficiently major setback in social development and quality of life occur, as severe as in schizophrenia. Adequate medication and psychotherapy in the early phases of these chronic disorders ameliorate the overall prognosis. Special attention should be drawn to hypomanic phases and phenomena as rapid cycling.