From Child Mind Institute: Resources to Help Our Kids Thrive
May is Mental Health Month. The Child Mind Institute shares several resources this month in their newsletter: ODD and Other Behavior Disorders.
“Oppositional” and “defiant” are two words that describe most kids at one point or another, so it’s no surprise that parents who are experiencing a lot of conflict with their kids often wonder if they might have oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The diagnosis only applies to kids whose behavioral issues are extreme and ongoing — if they are unusually angry, irritable, or annoyed, and have a pattern of challenging authority figures, refusing to follow rules, and purposefully causing harm.
This week we’re looking at how ODD develops, often when a child’s behavior pushes parents to extremes. Parents might become permissive, letting the child have their way to keep the peace, or punitive — both responses can perpetuate a negative cycle. Treatment for ODD includes parent training to reset the relationship, and in severe cases can involve medication. We also offer insight on why children with ADHD frequently develop ODD, and how anxiety, depression, and difficulty managing emotions can all lead to behavior that looks like ODD. Finally, we look at conduct disorder (CD), a more serious disorder that can develop in the teenage years if behavior problems go untreated.
— Caroline Miller, Editorial Director
