

A diagnosis of ODD alone is rare.Īdults and adolescents with a history of ODD are at a higher risk of developing social and emotional problems as adults, and have a 90% chance of being diagnosed with another mental illness during their lifetime. ODD may also be mistaken for learning disorders, ADHD, or anxiety. ODD often is diagnosed alongside other disorders, like ADHD, autism, learning disorders, conduct disorder (CD), bipolar disorder, or mood disorders like depression and anxiety. ODD, ASD, and Other Disorders Photo: Adobe Stock/pololia

Simple reminders may trigger excessive outbursts, and you may notice your child is very creative in coming up with lies about why they can’t do something or why something is not their fault. So some kids may behave quite differently at school than at home - at least until they become more familiar with their peers and teachers. Kids with ODD are more likely to act out toward people they know well, since they’ve already established patterns of poor behavior. By regularly pushing the parent to react to bad behavior, the child can often force their parents to be extreme in their tactics: they either eventually tire and become permissive, or swing to the other side and become excessively authoritative and controlling.

As the defiant behavior and angry reactions build up day after day, the relationship between parent and child gets increasingly tense, and this in turn loops into a cycle of consistently negative interactions. It’s considered moderate if it occurs in two settings (such as school and home) and considered severe if it occurs in three or more settings (at school, at home, and with friends on playdates, for example).Īt home, a child with ODD can have a deep impact on family dynamics. If ODD symptoms are only present in one setting (just at home, for example), it is considered mild. The number of places where this type of behavior occurs indicates the severity of the disorder. What separates a child who has ODD from a child who acts out occasionally is both the severity of the child’s actions and how long that extreme behavior lasts. While boys with ODD typically react with physical violence and intense outbursts, girls can be more indirect in their defiance, like lying and refusing directives from teachers or parents. It’s more common in boys than in girls, and also presents differently. It is typically diagnosed during childhood, and some children are able to outgrow it as soon as 8 or 9 years old.

ODD can affect between 1% and 16% of children and adolescents. If the child is younger than five, ODD symptoms should be present on most days for over 6 months, according to the DMS-5 if the child is older than five, the symptoms must be present at least once a week for six months. The behavior should last at least six months in order to get a proper diagnosis, and must be disrupting life in one or more places, such as school, home, or work. Symptoms of ODD in your child may include consistent temper tantrums and losing their temper being easily annoyed by others and deliberately annoying them being uncooperative, openly defiant, and argumentative with adults deliberately engaging in mean, vindictive, and spiteful behavior and blaming others for their behavior. Symptoms Photo: Adobe Stock/Scott Griessel How do you know if you just have a strong-willed, emotional child or one with ODD? If your child is autistic and struggles with expressing if they’re overwhelmed or frustrated, they may react similarly to one with ODD by getting angry, having a meltdown, or acting defiant. If their behavior seems extreme and lasts for a period of at least six months, they may have Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD).īut it’s a tricky thing to figure out. Tell some toddlers “No,” and you may get sweet acquiescence and understanding (we can dream, right?) - or you may get a tantrum, a smack, or a fountain of tears.īut when your child is older - in preschool or elementary school - and they regularly seem to struggle with authority, or they’re constantly angry if they don’t get their way, there may be an underlying issue at hand.
ADHD MELTDOWN ADULTS HOW TO
They need to learn what their limits are, how to appropriately channel their emotions, how to interact with others, and how to handle not getting what they want all the time.
