[Mom_Of_Many]

I re-read your post. I guess I just scanned it at first. I would say that, with her familyhistory and behavior, this is bipolar most likely. It is usually called ADHD in the adoption profiles, but the history is there, and that matters a lot. I do not feel that bipolar is the worst thing a child can have, although my two bipolar kids do not get violent (many do) and Lucas may as he gets older. So far (knock on wood) he is stable as is my 18 year old daughter. But they will be on meds forever. It is a challenge, and again may be comorbid with other things, since we're talking about kids who had poor prenatal histories. Don't rule out FAS/FAE if the mother substance abused. If she didn't say "no" to drugs, she didn't say "no" to alcohol. And it could be a bipolar/FAE diagnosis (we are probably looking at that with Lucas). Lucas is VERY challenging and I have tof ight every year for his education...and he is losing more and more ground in school every year (that would be the FAE). I could not parent two of Lucas (although some people can and do). Do your homework and go to the site I gave you and chat with some of the parents. Also read the bipolar book (it is all about childhoodl bipolar only). A psychiatrist nixing the bipolar dx. at first is common. That doesn't mean the child doesn't have it. Ok, enough of my wordy posts for now. Good luck