Mental health articles

oppositional defiant disorder odd in children Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is depicted in a child who displays a pattern of defiant, hostile, and disobedient behavior to parents, family, teachers, or any authoritative figure. Defiance is part of normal development and occurs related to an event such as the child being overtired and hungry. ODD occurs without an event triggering an episode. The child purposely annoys and will not back down in face of authority. Onset of ODD is between ages 3 and 19 and is
more common in boys than girls before puberty and equally after puberty.

The cause of oppositional defiant disorder is unknown, although researchers have noticed that the risk increases if the child experiences family discord or parental rejection or if parents demonstrate oppositional defiant behavior. Researchers also report
increased oppositional defiant disorder in children who experience inconsistent child rearing, such as being supervised by many different caregivers.

Approximately 10% of children diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder will continue to have symptoms of ODD for life. Researchers report that treatment can improve in
approximately 50% of the children diagnosed with ODD.

Tags: oppositional defiant disorder