Can 12 year olds be diagnosed with BPD?

[hopesky]

In a family therapy session yesterday my 12 year old son had a classic "all bad" BPD meltdown.  The therapist strongly reccomended that he go to ind therapy.   Is it possible for children this young to be diagnosed?  If so what is the treatment?  What is the success rate?

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[jellibeans]

Yes I do think it is possible but most P don't dx until older... . DBT therapy is good and I think it helps the pwBPD control his/her emotions etc... . I think the earlier you get help for your child the better. The more you research and try to understand his disorder the better. I have found that the biggest changes have had to come from myself at times... . learning how to interact and communicate is key. Have you read Overcoming BPD by Valerie Porr? excellent book.

[BioAdoptMom3]

I have a 13 y/o DD who was diagnosed this year, but rather than diagnosing them with BPD since their brains and personalities are still developing, they call it BPD TRAITS.  In our daughter's case she is adopted and we aren't sure if its true BPD or if it is the underlying fear of abandonment and rejection (she actually was an abandoned baby and she knows that) which is just causing typical symptoms of BPD, or adopted kids in those situations are actually BPD patients because of their situations (I guess like which came first, the chicken or the egg?).  I totally agree with jellibeans on the idea of getting therapy earlier rather than later. Should your child not have BPD the therapy will have still been helpful for him in dealing with normal life situations! Our 13 y/o is in therapy too. 

[lbjnltx]

My daughter was dx w/emerging BPD at age 12.  We did outpatient cbt for over a year and about a year of unofficial dbt w/individual t.  There were no dbt therapists for over a 100  miles so our t was self taught.  There was no dbt skills group for teens for her to attend either.  We didn't have much success.  I think the more affective component for young teens is having a support group of peers who hold them accountable compassionately, accompany this with individual therapy and a family that practices the highest level of beneficial skills compassionately and the changes of remission/recovery go up.

I hope you are able to have success finding the proper professionals to put together a team for your son.

You have found the educational component and support for yourself here... . that's one resource located... . now for the rest!

lbjnltx

[cleanandsober]

Are daughter's first dx was ADHD when she was 6. We started her in therapy at that time.  She is now 16.  Over the years, she has also been dx with anxiety/depression/mood disorder... . Her doctor first suggested that she was showing signs of "developing a personal disorder" when she was about 12.  Our doctor also told us that the personality does not fully develop until age 25 or so and they don't officially dx personality disorders until age 18.  We have had our daughter in on-going cognitive therapy and she is doing very well.  Our therapist's theory is to treat the symptoms as they come up and try not to put labels on her at this age.  I have found that we as parents need just as much therapy as our daughter and this is a family illness.