How does bipolar disorder and ADHD differ in children?

Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of intense elation followed by periods of major depression. Research shows that whereas children with bipolar disorder and ADHD experience symptoms of elated mood, grandiosity, racing thoughts and the decreased need for sleep, children with bipolar disorder experience them to a greater degree. Studies also show that whereas children with bipolar disorder and ADHD both are chronically irritable, this symptom tends to be more explosive in children with bipolar disorder. Similarly, children with bipolar disorder were more likely to experience suicidal tendencies, psychosis and mixed mania than their non-bipolar, ADHD counterparts.