Website Review: Medline Plus and Healthfinder.gov

Medline Plus: Results for Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder

This government search engine for health information returned many useful links for topics relating to Bipolar Disorder in children and adolescents, including articles from government organizations like the National Institute of Mental Health, as well as other nonprofit groups and information sources. 

Healthfinder.gov: Results for Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder

This search engine returned many  articles specifically from the National Institute of Mental Health about Bipolar Disorder in children and adolescents. Clearly the NIMH is a highly legitimate organization with trustworthy information which is easily accessed through Healthfinder.gov.

Website Review: Educational Sites

University of Michigan Depression Center

This website from the University of Michigan has the least information of all the websites I have seen so far, however it includes some of the most important facts like symptoms. The layout is simple, yet attractive, especially with the inclusion of a couple of pictures. It does provide links to other sources of information, which is helpful.

Berkeley Parents Network

This website is an extension of the University of California at Berkeley, and it allows parents to post questions about their children and adolescents with Bipolar disorder. Their questions are answered by others with knowledge about such topics. They layout is not at all eye-catching. The text is too small, in black and white, and is in italics for no apparent reason. I don't know why anyone would use this website except to post their own question about Bipolar disorder. 

Website Review: Commercial Websites

Psych Central-Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents

This site is not as nicely laid out as some of the organizational websites I have reviewed, however there are many helpful links on the side with pages with info about the different aspects of Bipolar disorder, including information about the different episodes a person with Bipolar may go through (manic, mixed, depressive, etc.). The site also has screening quizzes people can take to see if they might have the disorder, which is a helpful tool. The text is too narrow and blocky, and there are too many advertisements. The actual information on this particular page also appears to be an article originally published by the NIMH. 

Psychiatric Times: "Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents"

The Psychiatric Times is a .com website, and this particular page has a journal article about Bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. The writing is very dense and scholastic, and is probably not the best resource for the average reader. The layout is also rather boring and scholarly, however this page would probably be a great resource for research and other scholarly endeavors. 

Website Review: Organization Sites

Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation

This is a very informative site specifically about Bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. It is a .org website, and the entire foundation is dedicated to the disorder. The website is elaborate, with many links to other resources and extensive information regarding symptoms and treatment. I liked how it separated the symptoms of Mania and Depression (the two states associated with Bipolar disorder), and also how it listed famous historical figures who had the disorder. The layout is pleasing, especially for younger audiences who might be visiting the website. 

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

This organization (which obviously provides support to those with Depression and Bipolar disorder and their friends and families) has a very nice website which is easy to use and navigate. This particular page has useful statistics about Bipolar specifically in children and adolescents, including the likelihood of children to be affected by the disease and the success rates of treatment. I know parents are often very interested in statistics like these. The layout is very pleasing and looks professional, especially the sidebars and banner. 

Website Review: Government Sites

National Institute of Mental Health 

This website is well-organized and easy to follow. Information is divided into topics such as symptoms, treatment, etc. The layout could be more exciting, however the content is obviously reliable if it's from the NIMH, a government organization devoted to mental health issues. This website describes the common mistakes made by attributing symptoms of Bipolar Disorder to ADHD, or Attention Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder, and presents information about the differences between the two disorders. 

SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center

This website contains facts and statistics about Bipolar Disorder in children. It is extensive and clearly formatted, with information divided and presented as answers to common questions about the disorder. I especially liked the section titled "Austin's Story" which is a personal account of the disorder through the words of a 12 year-old boy. The layout could be improved, but overall the website is attractive and a great resource, especially for parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. 

Pictures wooo

This is my first post

This is my school, UVA.