what are the chances my kids will grow up with a MI?

[PatPaul]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with depression (dysthmymia) about 15 years ago. In the past month my new doctor has rediagnosed me as bipolar (type 2). Wife and no one in her family has any history of MI. As for my family, my sister was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 40. Not sure about my three brothers? Mother died young at 56 due to drinking and my dad, who is 77, drank a lot in the past and had a number of "issues," but I don't think was ever diagnosd with a MI.

My question is:

What are the chances my daughter (years old) or son (10 months old) will develop some kind of MI as they grow older? PP

[Luna-]

They're at greater risk, especially because of the genetic factor in bipolar. What exactly "greater risk" means, ie how much greater, seems to vary with what you read.

However, the chance of them NOT having an MI is higher than the chance of them having one.

Studies seem to report better outcomes for offspring who are diagnosed and treated early, so the more we know and can pick up on early, and the more coping skills and techniques we can teach them, the better off they will be.

I've read too, that the best thing we can do for our children, to contain this, is to work on ourselves and our own mental health. We can't control the 'Nature', but we have some influence over the 'Nurture', which will make a difference.