Emotional and behavioral symptoms of ODD generally last at least six months. They include angry and irritable mood, argumentative and defiant behavior, and hurtful and revengeful behavior.
Lack of structure or parental supervision, inconsistent discipline practices, and exposure to abuse or community violence have also been identified as factors which may contribute to the development of ODD.
For a child to be diagnosed with ODD, they must have a pattern of disruptive behavior including at least four symptoms from this list: Often loses temper. Easily annoyed. Often angry and resentful.
A lot of kids with behavior problems are diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). But sometimes kids who seem to have ODD are actually struggling with anxiety, OCD or a learning disorder.
ODD is typically diagnosed around early elementary school ages and stops being diagnosed around adolescence. Generally, the period between puberty and legal adulthood. By some standards this includes the teenaged years, from 13 to 19.
Problems with parenting that may involve a lack of supervision, inconsistent or harsh discipline, or abuse or neglect may contribute to developing ODD .
Some children with ODD outgrow the condition by age eight or nine. But about half of them continue to experience symptoms of ODD through adulthood. People with ODD report feeling angry all of the time, and about 40 percent of them become progressively worse and develop antisocial personality disorder.
If untreated, ODD may lead to anxiety, depression, or a more serious disorder called conduct disorder. A child or teen with conduct disorder may harm or threaten people or animals, damage property or engage in serious violations of rules.
ODD and (although to a lesser extent) ADHD were associated with a history of physical or sexual maltreatment. PTSD symptoms were most severe if (a) ADHD and maltreatment co-occurred or (b) ODD and accident/illness trauma co-occurred.
Research has suggested that ODD cases are often comorbid to cases of ASD, but due to the difficulty of assessing similar symptoms and attributing the different motivations that underly an ODD diagnosis, it is enormously difficult for clinicians to separate the two.
It may result from a combination of factors. The child's general attitude and how the family reacts to his or her behavior may play a role in it. ODD may run in families. Other causes may be related to the nervous system or to brain chemicals that are out of balance.
Genetics. Some children with ODD have parents with mental health disorders, such as substance abuse, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and mood disorders. Environment. Children who are rejected, abused or neglected are at an increased risk for ODD.
Family life and ODD
Some studies have found that certain environmental factors in the family increase the risk of disruptive behaviour disorders. These include: poor parenting skills (inadequate supervision, harsh or inconsistent discipline, rejection) marital conflict.
ODD is more common in boys than in girls. Children with the following mental health problems are also more likely to have ODD: Mood or anxiety disorders. Conduct disorder.
ODD may occur only in certain settings.
More recently, medical professionals have recongized that certain children with ODD may behave well at school, and only show symptoms at home. In addition, a child may be oppositional with only one parent, though this occurs less frequently.
CAN A CHILD GET SSI BENEFITS IF THEY HAVE OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER? If your child has Oppositional Defiant Disorder that interferes with their ability to function for at least twelve months, they may be able to receive benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
Healthcare practitioners must have clinical experience with ODD to diagnose this condition, because there is no one test that can diagnose the disorder. A child's behavioral patterns are carefully assessed in addition to the taking of a complete medical history and physical examination.
In people with ODD, brain scans show significantly increased activity in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG), which is considered to be the brain's gear shifter. When the ACG is healthy, it helps people shift from one thought to another or one activity to the next.
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a psychiatric disorder found in children and reaches far beyond them simply not listening to what people are telling them to do.