| "Opposition Defiance Disorder", more properly called | | | | a full understand of what may be underlying the ODD, |
| "Oppositional Defiant Disorder", and abbreviated "ODD", | | | | it will be much more difficult to treat it. Most authorities |
| is a serious disorder in pre-adolescent or adolescent | | | | believe that half or two-thirds of all ODD sufferers also |
| children, and sometimes even in pre-schoolers. | | | | have ADD/ADHD, and significant percentages have a |
| All children, of any age, are oppositional and defiant | | | | mood disorder such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar |
| from time to time, so it's really a matter of degree. A | | | | disorder. |
| diagnosis of ODD is made when the child shows many | | | | An out-of-control child can make your home a |
| of the behaviors listed below, when they are extreme, | | | | nightmare. These children, in addition to the havoc they |
| consistent, and ongoing, and when they interfere with | | | | wreak with their own negative behaviors, usually |
| social relationships, school adjustment and learning. | | | | manage to push your buttons to the point that you |
| 1. Raging, losing temper | | | | over-react, say things you wish you hadn't, even lash |
| 2. Actively defying requests | | | | out physically. Oppositional Defiant Disorder in your child |
| 3. Refusing to follow rules | | | | will require a full-time, serious, and effective response |
| 4. Blaming other people for his or her own mistakes | | | | on your part. You will need to learn a new approach |
| and misbehavior | | | | and new techniques of parenting. |
| 5. Harsh language and unkind behavior | | | | "Parent Management Training" is the name often given |
| 6. Arguing with adults | | | | to a way of training parents of ODD children to parent |
| 7. Easily annoyed or angered, touchy, spiteful, resentful, | | | | more effectively. It's believed to be the most effective |
| vindictive | | | | way of turning around the angry and defiant child. It's |
| 8. Seeks revenge | | | | more complicated than this, but the heart of it is |
| There are a number of quick screening tests available | | | | learning to look for reasons to praise the child for an |
| to help you determine if your child is just being normal, | | | | appropriate behavior, and therefore reinforce it. On the |
| or if he may truly have a disorder. Just Google "ODD | | | | other hand, the parent is taught to ignore a negative |
| screening test". If you think it's likely that your child does | | | | behavior when it's appropriate to do so, and therefore |
| have ODD, it's important to have him or her evaluated, | | | | gradually extinguish it. |
| because ODD doesn't usually occur alone, and without | | | | |