Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder is common disorder affecting children. It is characterized by defiant, negative, hostile and disobedient behavior towards authority figures and parents. The disorder can be easily diagnosed when symptoms have been present for at least six months.

A child suffering from the disorder loses temper easily, loves to argue with adults, refuses to comply with rules, does annoying things deliberately, blames other people for own mistakes, is touchy, resentful and vindictive. With these behaviors, it can be hard to get the child to do the right things at the right time.

Defiant and negativistic behaviors in children suffering from the disorder are highly persistent. The children also express such behaviors with a lot of resistance to direction, stubbornness, testing of limits and ignorance. Therefore, you will find that the child

• Prefers to negotiate with peers or adults instead of doing the right thing
• Is defiant
• Does bad things deliberately
• Is stubborn and unwilling to follow set rules and regulations
• Does not accept blame and is aggressive

Oppositional defiant disorder also manifests itself in different ways depending on the environment of a patient. It can be hard to detect the disorder in school but in a home setting, it is easy to tell if a child does things deliberately or not. Additionally, the symptoms easily present themselves when the child interacts with peers or adults that he or she is familiar with.

This means that for you to detect the disorder, you do not necessarily have to take your child for a clinical examination. It is however good to note that a child suffering from the disorder does not regard himself or herself as defiant. Patients always justify their behaviors as a response or as a way of making unreasonable demands or responding to a given circumstance.

Specific symptoms to watch out for

There are specific symptoms of oppositional defiant disorders including

• Constant unnecessary arguments with adults
• A pattern of hostile, negativistic and defiant behavior lasting for at least 6months
• Deliberately annoying other people
• Blaming others for own mistakes or certain behavior
• Resentment and often angry
• Touchy and easily being annoyed by other people
• Vindictive and often spiteful and
• Easily losing temper

 

These are specific symptoms of the behavior that present themselves commonly and tend to grow over a specific period of time. If a child displays any of the symptoms for a period of six months, it is imperative to consider the test. A clinical examination can confirm or rule out your fears.

It is also essential to note that disturbance in behavior caused by oppositional defiant disorder can easily cause impairment in occupational, academic and social functioning.

Additionally, you should note that the symptoms do not often occur in exclusivity. This is a feature that set the disorder from many other conditions such as depression and mood disorder.

Oppositional defiant disorder should therefore be treated. The best treatment option is to talk to a child suffering from the disorder. Individual or family therapy has been proven quite effective. Parents should help the child get over the disorder and in severe conditions; medications can be given to prevent childhood psychosis and depression.

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Sources

http://www.childrenshospital.org/health-topics/conditions/oppositional-defiant-disorder

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/oppositional-defiant-disorder-symptoms/