Your guide to mood stabilizers for kids

Mood stabilizers are medications most commonly given to treat bipolar disorder. Healthcare professionals may also prescribe them to manage other conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders.

There are three main types of mood stabilizers:

• Lithium: This drug often helps treat bipolar disorder.
• Anticonvulsants: These medications help manage seizures and epilepsy but can also treat bipolar disorder. Examples include:
  • carbamazepine (Tegretol)
  • lamotrigine (Lamictal)
  • valproate (Depakote)
• Antipsychotics: These medications are common options to help manage psychosis symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions. Examples of antipsychotics include:
  • haloperidol (Haldol)
  • olanzapine (Zyprexa)
  • quetiapine (Seroquel)
  • risperidone (Risperdal)

Mood stabilizers may be an option for children with bipolar disorder or to manage other symptoms like aggression or irritability.

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Mood stabilizer options for kids

While most people receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in adulthood or late adolescence, the symptoms can actually appear in childhood. Still, not many mood stabilizers have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use by children, especially those who are very young.

A healthcare professional, such as a psychiatrist, can advise you on which mood stabilizers may be suitable.

Here are some examples of mood stabilizers that a doctor may prescribe for children.

Lithium

Lithium is FDA approved for use by children from 7 years old. It is one of the medications most commonly prescribed to treat bipolar disorder.

Research from 2019 supports the use of lithium for the treatment of bipolar disorder in young people. A 2018 study also supports the safety of the medication when taken by children and teens.

Doctors may prescribe lithium carbonate (Lithobid) or lithium citrate (Priadel). However, the FDA states that the safety and effectiveness of Lithobid haven’t been determined for children younger than 12 years.

Antipsychotics

Antipsychotics are a class of medications that work on neurotransmitters like dopamine in your brain to reduce symptoms of psychosis. This effect on your brain can also stabilize your mood.

Aripiprazole (Abilify) is an antipsychotic medication that doctors may prescribe to treat bipolar disorder in children ages 10 years or older. Healthcare professionals can also prescribe this medication for children to treat the irritability associated with autism.  

A 2021 study suggests that it is safe for children and teens to take aripiprazole. However, the researchers recommend that doctors monitor children taking this medication to ensure they don’t experience unhelpful side effects.

Risperidone (Risperdal) is an antipsychotic medication approved for the treatment of:

• bipolar mania for children ages 10 years and older
• the irritability associated with autism for children 5 years and older
• schizophrenia in teenagers ages 13 and older

Quetiapine is also an antipsychotic medication approved for the treatment of mania, schizophrenia, and aggression in children and teenagers. A 2020 review of quetiapine for the treatment of bipolar disorder in young people suggests that it is a relatively safe drug.

Common side effects from taking this medication include:

• headaches
• an upset stomach
• drowsiness
• weight gain

Finally, in 2018, the FDA approved lurasidone (Latuda) for the treatment of bipolar depression in children ages 10 to 17 years. Research from 2020 found this medication to be the safest antipsychotic for children.

Anticonvulsants

Doctors often use anticonvulsant medications to help manage seizures and epilepsy, but they can also prescribe them to help treat bipolar disorder. They work by affecting the neurotransmitters in your brain and reducing the electrical activity of your brain. This can promote more stable moods and reduce mood changes that are common in bipolar disorder.

There are no anticonvulsants with FDA approval for use in children to treat psychiatric disorders, and their efficacy has not been proven. However, they may be used off-label for this purpose if a healthcare professional decides it is safe and necessary.

Examples include:

• carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• lamotrigine (Lamictal)

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Mood stabilizers for ADHD and autism

In some cases, a doctor may prescribe mood stabilizers for a child with ADHD. This will usually be an option when the child also has symptoms of bipolar disorder. The typical medication options for the treatment of ADHD in children, approved by the FDA, are:

• Stimulants: These medications contain different forms of methylphenidate and amphetamine and can calm children. Examples include methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and amphetamine (Adderall). 
• Nonstimulants: Doctors often prescribe these medications when stimulants are not well-tolerated. Examples include:
  • atomoxetine (Staterra)
  • clonidine (Kapvay)
  • guanfacine (Intuniv)
  • Viloxazine ER (Qelbree)

Doctors often also prescribe mood stabilizers such as risperidone (Risperdal) and aripiprazole (Abilify) to help treat irritability symptoms associated with autism in children.  

Other options

It’s important to remember that everyone responds to medication differently. Consider speaking with a doctor to understand the potential side effects of any medications you are taking. Some 2020 research suggests that drowsiness and weight gain are two common side effects of mood stabilizers taken by children.

Doctors often prescribe mood stabilizers together with talk therapies to help treat children with bipolar disorder.

Examples include:

• cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT)
• family-focused therapy (FFT)

Other mood stabilizers, such as quetiapine (Seroquel), can also be an option to treat schizophrenia and aggression in children.

Summary

Doctors most commonly prescribe mood stabilizers for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Several mood stabilizers may help manage symptoms in children. Many have FDA approval, but doctors may use some off-label.

Mood stabilizers can also help treat schizophrenia and manage symptoms such as aggression and irritability.

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