[Dr. Art]

One cannot make a diagnosis from behaviors alone. The behaviors indicative of Bipolar Disorder substantially overlap with those of ADHD, ODD, RAD, and several other conditions. Generally, one needs a good early social history and a thorough assessment by a well experienced mental health professional with substantial training and background assessing and treatment adopted and foster children, many of whom have trauma-attachment issues.

An excellent book to read is, The Bipolar Child. It is written for both parents and professionals and I think you'll find it most helpful.

That being said, there are a few red-flags your story raises that might lead one to consider bipolar disorder: Tantrums that last for an extended period of time (more than 30 min) and that the child cannot stop, a history of biological family members having Bipolar Disorder (there is a strong genetic component to this condition).

Finally, if the psychiatrist you've been to is a Board Certified Child Psychiatrist and has substantial experience with pediatric cases of Bipolar disorder, then I'd accept the doctor's assessment. If the doctor has not worked with any or many such children, you might want to travel to get a second opinion from a child psychiatrist who is more expert in this area.

Regards