It is not easy to raise children. Pushing boundaries, getting on parent’s nerves, and hormonal mood swings are all a part of growing up. At a certain point, however, there may be signs that a child is not just acting out for attention or to test their limits.
In some cases, these children may have oppositional defiant disorder. For these children, these outbursts are more serious, frequent, and, in some cases, may need the help of a therapist.
It is important to note that nearly all children will exhibit most of these signs at some point in their developmental phase and that it is completely normal. The hallmark of ODD is that the behavior persists despite any attempts to counter or dissuade it and that traditional discipline does not affect the behavior.
It is believed that between 2-16% of children have ODD. Oppositional defiant disorder can be difficult to diagnose, and in many cases can occur with other mental health conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, or depression.2
Because ODD shares symptoms with so many other mental health conditions, it can be difficult to place an exact number of diagnoses. However, in younger children, ODD is more common in boys than it is in girls.
Although there is no clear cause that directly correlates to oppositional defiant disorder, it may be the result of a combination of factors including genetics and environment.3 Possible risk factors include:
ODD is always diagnosed by a therapist or doctor and usually during childhood, although there have been rare cases of oppositional defiant disorder in adults. Per the listing of oppositional defiant disorder in DMS 5 and oppositional defiant disorder in ICD 10, to receive a diagnosis, a child must exhibit at least four of the above symptoms for at least six months.
To be diagnosed with ODD, these symptoms must reoccur frequently throughout that time and must involve another individual.4 This other person cannot be their sibling as these behaviors are common for siblings to exhibit toward each other.
Oppositional defiant disorder treatment is most effective when the child receives an early diagnosis. It is vital to bring a child to a doctor or therapist as soon as symptoms of ODD are noticed, particularly if they have a pattern.
A doctor should also check for any potential co-existing mental health conditions such as ADHD, which is present in an estimated 30-50% of children with ODD. This check ensures that proper treatment and therapy are provided and will not worsen a condition.
ODD is considered a behavioral disorder because it directly interferes with a child’s day-to-day life. Some of the ways ODD can disrupt a child’s life include:5
Therapy can be an effective treatment option provided that the parents, caregivers, and other involved adults work with the therapist and child to achieve a positive outcome.6 Some effective therapy options are: