| Children with ODD need to learn to take | | | | early age. The symptoms are usually seen in |
| responsibility for their behavior and not use their | | | | multiple settings, but may be more noticeable at |
| diagnosis or disability as an excuse for | | | | home or at school. Five to fifteen percent of all |
| inappropriate behavior. They need help learning | | | | school-age children have ODD. Biological and |
| how to: | | | | environmental factors may have a role. |
| · Set limits | | | | Oppositional defiant disorder appears to be more |
| · Curb sibling fighting | | | | common in families where at least one parent has |
| · Stop defiance, back-talking, lying and cursing | | | | a history of a mood disorder, conduct disorder, |
| · Defuse explosive outbursts and uncontrolled | | | | attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, antisocial |
| anger | | | | personality disorder, or a substance-related |
| · Stay on task | | | | disorder. |
| · Do homework and chores | | | | Oppositional Defiant Disorder does not occur alone: |
| · Effective problem solving techniques | | | | · 50-65% of ODD children also have ADD |
| If their "acting out" has carried on for a long | | | | ADHD |
| period of time and goes against what is socially | | | | · 35% of these children develop some form |
| acceptable, then your teen probably has a | | | | of affective disorder |
| behavioral disorder. If your teen is self-destructive | | | | · 20% have some form of mood disorder, |
| and adversely affects your family, then his or her | | | | such as Bipolar Disorder or anxiety |
| behavior is clearly a problem. | | | | · 15% develop some form of personality |
| Symptoms of ODD include the following behaviors: | | | | disorder |
| · losing their temper | | | | · Many of these children have learning |
| · arguing | | | | disorders |
| · defying authority | | | | Teens with ODD plus ADHD are much more |
| · refusing adult requests or rules | | | | difficult to live with. Their destructive and |
| · deliberately annoying others | | | | disagreeable behavior is purposeful. They like to |
| · blaming others for their own mistakes or | | | | push their parents anger-buttons. Every request |
| misbehavior | | | | ends up as a power struggle. Lying becomes a |
| · being touchy or easily annoyed | | | | daily habit. Getting a reaction out of others is |
| · being angry and resentful | | | | amusing to them. They are rarely sorry for the |
| · being spiteful or vindictive | | | | hurtful things they say and do. And they believe |
| · swearing or using bad language | | | | nothing is their fault. |
| · moody and easily frustrated | | | | Parenting strategies often include a home rules |
| · truancy from school (dropped out or | | | | contract (i.e., a written set of expectations that |
| expelled) | | | | parents have of their teens and preteens). The |
| · increased involvement with, and loyalty to, | | | | contract includes basic rules, consequences and |
| delinquent peer groups | | | | privileges. |
| · greater isolation from other peers, family | | | | The primary purpose of a home rules contract is |
| members | | | | for teens to be held accountable for their |
| · stealing, shoplifting, running away, alcohol | | | | behavior while allowing parents to maintain a |
| and/or drug abuse, sexual promiscuity | | | | reasonable amount of control (i.e., teaching teens |
| · problems with low self-esteem, low | | | | that there are consequences for breaking rules, |
| self-confidence, and/or depression | | | | the knowledge of which hopefully will transfer in |
| The causes of ODD are unknown, but many | | | | the teen's mind to school rules as well as the legal |
| parents report that their ODD child was more rigid | | | | system). |
| and demanding than the child's siblings from an | | | | |