Defiant Children – Is it Normal or an Oppositional Defiant Disorder?

The terrible twos and threes and pre-teens are known for their unusual behavior. Expressing defiance is a normal part of child’s behavior. Arguing, not responding, disobeying, back talk, staying moody, picky eating, etc are very common in many kids, which are normal defiance. Defiance becomes a concern for parents when their child tends to disobey for weeks and months incessantly!

Already we have seen about how to identify the behavioral disorders in children. Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a patterned disorder in kids, seen commonly in kinder garden children and pre-teens, who experience roller coaster ups and downs in their lives.

How to identify when your child has ODD concern?

What is ODD?

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a behavioral concern in kids, where the child exhibits repetitive patterns of disobedience, lack of cooperation, aggressive and irritating behavior. These behavioral patterns abrupt the daily activities and even the health of the children, also they show intolerable tantrums at home as well as school. The defiant behavioral includes disabilities in reading and learning, abnormal mood swings, anxiety, hyperactivity, etc.

Signs and symptoms of ODD:

• Not accepting anything from food to play
• Constantly blaming others
• Back talk and bullying
• Saying hateful things, showing hatred towards everything
• Constantly gaining attention by doing annoying things
• Excessive arguments with elders even for small issues

Remember, a consistent abnormality leads to ODD, otherwise temper tantrums is quite common!

Causes of ODD:   

Oppositional Defiant Disorder is caused by a few elements, rather can be rightly said as temper tantrums triggered by few elements that converts a normal defiant behavior into ODD! It includes,

• Biological factors –Abnormalities in brain functions. The neurotransmitters of brain receive signals and communicate with brain. When the neurotransmitters fail to function properly, it leads to aggressive temper tantrums. Lack of nutrition, physical injuries, prolonged illness, etc affects the brain functions, leading to ODD.
• Genetic Factors – ODD is commonly seen in children who have the family history of ODD. If you or any close member of your family has ODD, your child is exposed with the risk of developing ODD.
• Environmental Factors – issues in family life, death of a close family member, separation, bullying at school, mental illness, etc contributes to trigger ODD.

Treating ODD is purely based on analyzing the causes that triggered the condition. With psychological counseling as well as imaging system, the extent of the damages can be diagnosed. Medications, counseling sessions, simple rehab or physical therapies etc would alleviate the damages.

ODD is commonly found in around 16 percent of kids’ population in the world. This condition affects more on boys than girls. Managing a kid with ODD is a lot more challenging than managing a difficult child. The kids who developed ODD constantly throw challenges, arguments and mischievous activities to trouble others.  This behavior unfortunately, invites a lot of difficulties in the relationship between the child and others. Social as well as academic destruction is severe in ODD kids than kids who suffer from Bipolar or anxiety disorder.

Watch your kid’s behavior, if you find anything abnormal constantly; get a diagnosis from your physician.