Where to get help for ODD in the Portland Metro area?

[WhatDoWeDo]

My fiance and I don't know where to turn at this point. We have been on a waiting list since 08/10 to get into a local group of child psychiatric specialists, but time grows short. Problems are starting to arise at school again; it's taken awhile but now that he (12yo) feels comfortable with his teachers the ODD is starting to kick in. We experience not quite daily issues at home, but the issues at school are only likely to get worse without some aid.

Can anybody here give us some suggestions of a doctor that specializes in ODD in the Vancouver/Portland area? We've found that a general counselor simply doesn't have the background or skills to deal with this.

THANKS!!!!

Edit: I'm new here, but I'm quickly learning all the acronyms. Had to look up difficult child. :difficult child:

 

[BusynMember]

Hi. I wanted to try to answer, even though I don't live there. Can you give us some info on your child's behaviors and history? ODD rarely stands alone...if there is more stuff going on, it may be easier to get help for that.

 

[Jena]

hi

i just left portland a week ago my little one was hospitalized there. i know of a great therapist who could give you links. i'll pm you if you want. and i agree with-the odd thing. you gotta get a pysch evaluation done and have someone watch him for a period of time therapist pyschiatrist to really get wha'Tourette's Syndrome going on with him. my oldest was dxd odd, yet it's all emotional junk she never handled and surpressed resurfacing alot due to difficult child sister.

 

[WhatDoWeDo]

Hi. I wanted to try to answer, even though I don't live there. Can you give us some info on your child's behaviors and history? ODD rarely stands alone...if there is more stuff going on, it may be easier to get help for that.

Extreme anxiety since he was 3, which includes getting sick sometimes at even the thought of a public event, a friend coming over, going out for dinner or a movie. This has been helped immensely with Fluvoxamine which was started about 3 years ago. Most of the issues we experience today center around ODD - arguing about almost anything, always being right, never being wrong, his actions are never his fault, lying, not taking responsibility, making up actions of others that cause him to have issues, fits of anger and rage, and little respect for authority. Many times I find myself not speaking since more likely than not he will tell me that I'm wrong about something.

It's only AFTER he gets to know someone that he lets his guard down and shows the ODD. Which sometimes makes me wonder if he's able to control it. I'm no expert, but that's how it looks from my viewpoint. I should mention that his father passed away about 3 years ago, but he seems to deal with it very well, with all other things considered. Hope this helps.

 

[BusynMember]

Has he ever been evaluated? How does he do in school? Does he understand how to socialize appropriately with his same age peers? ODD/Anxiety is very vague. Behavioral therapy rarely works for our particular children...nor does therapy alone.

 

[barneysmom]

Hi WhatDoWeDo, and welcome.

I was just going to ask you if there was any stress in your little guy's life that could be triggering this behavior. Even though his dad passed away three years ago (my condolences, WhatDoWeDo) your son will process it differently with each developmental age. As he gets older, he will have more understanding that his dad is gone, and it may become more painful. He may be showing you his rage and grief about it, but still far from sophisticated with the language of emotions, so he acts them out. Maybe some grief counseling?

Fluvoxamine as you know is an AD and is also often chosen for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (obsessive-compulsive disorder). Does your son have any Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tendencies which may be getting harder for him to control as he gets older and must go to school? (Not trying to diagnose your son or suggesting he has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), just something to think about).

Regarding his having symptoms only when he gets to know someone, that happens a lot. It's often called the honeymoon syndrome during which the parents wait for the other shoe to inevitably drop. It may be hard for him to remain in control during the honeymoon, so he may be even more irritable once he lets loose. I don't think it's something he can control. It took a fair amount of years for me to realize this about my own kids.

Any family history which could give you some clues about what's up (from your side of the family, and from your son's dad). Also could your son be stressing about your fiance and somehow getting that mixed up with the dad issues?

Just some things to think about -- please don't feel like you're expected to answer these questions on this public forum :~)

HTH some

Jo

P.S. Twelve years old (also 13, 14, 15 etc. :~) seems to be a tough age for these kids. I remember our difficult child who is now 13, had some of his worst problems starting at 12. The schoolwork gets harder too, and the energy they need for attention/focus/concentration is already being sapped by the anxiety, anger or whatever. It's a tough spot for these kids. How does your son do with schoolwork in general?

 

[WhatDoWeDo]

On my phone so this will be short. The signs of ODD started years before his fathers death. Years before that the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) kicked in. The whole reason for the initial question was to learn if there's any real help in our area that won't take 1-2 years to get a complete diagnosis and therapy started, along with medications if needed. Between my fiance and I we have 4 kids ranging from 9 to 13. I understand that everything comes into play as to how we choose to act or act out. Every "professional" he has seen so far is little more than an adult friend and refuses to believe what his mother says about his behavior except for the 2 times they have seen it, but they simply don't have the experience to deal with it. I know there's no magic pill, but we really need some help from a doctor that has dealt with this behavior in other children.

Thanks!!

 

[BusynMember]

Did your son have any early delays...speech, poor eye contact with strangers, didn't like to be held, obsessive interests, copying stuff he hears on television, an inability to interact well with his same age peers? Any quirks?

 

[smallworld]

The rules of the board prevent us from providing specific names of doctors or facilities on the public forum. However, any member can PM (private message) you names. I would recommend checking with any children's or university teaching hospitals, although the waits may be long there as well.

The reason we all keep pressing you to dig deeper is that most of us believe that ODD is not a stand-alone diagnosis. ODD is generally fueled by an underlying condition (anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, etc). When the underlying condition is identified and treatment, the ODD behaviors typically subside and improve. Most good mental health providers do not specialize in ODD and will not simply diagnosis a child with ODD. There are no medications that treat ODD.

The behavioral techniques that work best with a child with oppositional tendencies is to work with him, not against him. Many of us here recommend the Collaborative Problem Solving techniques of Dr. Ross Greene, which are described in his book The Explosive Child. You can also check his website at www.livesinthebalance.org.

Welcome!