question about ODD

[goingcrazyinwv]

I don't totally understand ODD I know the symptoms and all that but I don't totally understand it. Do they know what they are doing when they are raging or just not listening? I talked to my daughter at a calm time and ask her about her behavior and she seemed to know she wasn't behaving properly but she said it was like someone in her head telling her to act this way. man I need a vacation this is so overwhelming.

Thanks,
Helen

 

[BusynMember]

In the experience and the beliefs of many parents here, ODD is not a stand alone diagnosis. It appears in almost all childhood disorders--autistic spectrum disorder, early onset bipolar, mood disorders not otherwise specified, and others. The best treatment is to find out the "bigger" diagnosis. that is causing it and treating that. I think probably all our kids have ODD, but there are other factors involved as well. Depending on what is causing the ODD, the child may or may not know what he is doing, but, no matter what the cause, extreme defiance is a big red flag the child is has either a psychiatric or neurological disorder. Kids don't wake up one day and think, "Wow. Great day to make my parents nuts." They are kids who are very unhappy and you kind of just need to keep digging until you get the whole picture. It is extremely rare to get the whole, correct diagnosis the first time you go for an evaluation. I love neuropsychologist evaluations because they do intensive testing. There are no mothers here who can answer your questions and know for sure that we are giving you the right answers. ODD behavior is caused by so many factors...
Until you figure out the big picture, I'd buy "The Explosive Child" and use it. Since bipolar is on the family tree, and is hereditary, you may want to read up on it. There is a great book called "The Bipolar Child" by Dimitri and Janice Papalous, and here is a link to a particular website the describes it. Your daughter saying that something in her head is making her do it, could be auditory hallucinations or she may just be so out of control that she doesn't have a clue why she behaves like she does. I"m not saying your child has early onset bipolar, but it is definitely something you need to keep an eye on since it's in the family.

 

[Nancy]

ODD is a stand alone diagnosis in the DSM. That doesn't mean your difficult child doesn't have another disorder with it, just wanted to correct that misunderstanding.

My difficult child knows what she is doing is wrong but she can't control her impulse to do it anyway. She thrives on risky behaviors and loves to be defiant. If someone tells her to do something she will do the opposite. Her birthmother said she was the same way, for my difficult child it's definitely in the genes.

ODD is a difficult disorder to deal with. Many people have ODD behaviors as part of another disorder. Some truly have ODD. I have found that the more I push the more she pushes back. But yet when I allow her to dowhat she wants she assumes I am in agreement. She does not have the internal monitor to stop her from being defiant.

Nancy

 

[BusynMember]

Wow. I strongly suggest seeing somebody with more credentials to diagnose than a social worker OR pediatrician. Again, my first choice is a neuropsychologist because of the intensive testing they do, often lasting ten hours. They try to see strengths/deficits/problems the child encounters...also what sets them off or how good their eye contact is and how they relate. You really can't get that sort of evaluation just spending an hour talking to a child.
There are many things in the DSM like ODD and anxiety disorder. These particular disorders tend to not stand alone, and, even if your child is a rare one that only has ODD or anxiety disorder, it is a good idea to check for everything else before you decide that this is all that is causing it. Before my mood disorder was diagnosed, I was diagnosed with ADHD (called hyperactivity back then) and then anxiety disorder. But neither was right. They didn't have NeuroPsychs back then either. Fortunately, my son was able to see one and get a correct diagnosis. He really improved after that because he happened to be lucky enough to get the right diagnosis. and the right help. Your child's behavior does not have to get worse. If you get a good neuropsychologist evaluation and a cause is found, the treatment can greatly improve the child's control. That is critical before the teenage years where drug abuse can come into play with our vulnerable kids (this happened to my daughter).
Anyhow, just wanted to give in extra .02 about my experience with different diagnosticians. Good luck

 

[Lulu]

Hi, and welcome! My difficult child 1 has not yet been evaluated, so I do not know if any other things are going on besides his extreme defiance, but I can see that the link is strongly genetic for him. Nancy wrote:

My difficult child knows what she is doing is wrong but she can't control her impulse to do it anyway. She thrives on risky behaviors and loves to be defiant. If someone tells her to do something she will do the opposite. Her birthmother said she was the same way, for my difficult child it's definitely in the genes.

ODD is a difficult disorder to deal with. Many people have ODD behaviors as part of another disorder. Some truly have ODD. I have found that the more I push the more she pushes back. But yet when I allow her to dowhat she wants she assumes I am in agreement. She does not have the internal monitor to stop her from being defiant.

She describes my HUSBAND to a Tee. And again, this is how my son operates. I hope to find out more in the next year as we pursue evaluation/diagnosis.

I hope that you find the answers you are looking for. My son has told me after such episodes that he simply could not stop himself. And I agree that it was impossible for my husband and me to penetrate his skull during those times. IT's as though his brain was on "autopilot" or "vapor-locked." It is a gut-wrenching feeling to be in the midst of a several-day-long tear and know that there is really no way to break through to the generally sweet and loving kid we know is inside.