diagnosed with a mood disorder....

[mom23gsfg]

not otherwise specified (not otherwise specified)what does this mean? my son was dignosed with odd and a mood disorder not otherwise specified...
so what type of disorder is it? or is the not otherwise specified because they are not sure which one he has? :hammer: because these docs sure have me confused.

 

[smallworld]

Mood Disorder-not otherwise specified means there are mood fluctations that can include depression and mania, but the symptoms (either severity or length) do not meet the criteria for a specific mood disorder such as Bipolar Disorder or Cyclothymia.

 

[BusynMember]

I'm not sure what your doctor means specifically, but he does mean he has a mood disorder. My own psychiatrist told me that pretty soon all mood disorders were probably going to be called Mood Disorder Spectrum.
Bipolar in kids isn't in the DSM yet so, for insurance purposes, often if a doctor thinks a child is bipolar, he puts down Mood Disorder not otherwise specified, which IS in the DSM. Ask your doctor for clarification. When my son was misdiagnosed with bipolar, his diagnosis on the forms were always "Mood Disorder not otherwise specified."

 

[totoro]

Hi-
As far as my daughter, K her diagnosis is Mood Disorder-not otherwise specified (Bipolar Spectrum)
Her psychiatrist gave her that because for one she did not like the Bipolar-not otherwise specified diagnosis... and K was only 5 at the time, she felt with our history, symptoms etc she was most likely BiPolar (BP) but would need more time and puberty to really see "what type of Bipolar" she turned out to be... the DSM doesn't really have guidelines for children, even though your son is older maybe the doctor wants to watch to see how he progresses, before diagnosis'ing him with a definite BiPolar (BP) diagnosis?
My daughter cycles so much, that she doesn't really fit the adult criteria... so we wait, most of it is because of insurance!!! YEAH!!!
They are revising the DSM in 2012... so we will see???