Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Support Group
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) an ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behavior toward authority figures that goes beyond the bounds of normal childhood behavior. When a child cannot seem to control his anger or frustration, even over what seems to be trivial or simple to others, the child will often react in violent or negative ways to his own...
My son had his appt today with his new psychologist. I am so impressed with her. She is the FIRST doctor that we've seen who legitimately listened to my concerns without interrupting. She listened to how I feel about his previous care, asked me about his behaviors, asked me about how he copes with different situations, asked me a LOT of questions and asked for a lot of input. She was so calm and caring towards my son. He doesn't warm up to people easily, doesn't openly admit that he likes a lot of people...but he seemed to like her.
Her answer, granted not definitive yet since we need several more appts, is that he def has ODD but she thinks that should be his secondary diagnosis. She thinks that his primary diagnosis should be something along the autism spectrum and she couldn't believe that he hadn't been diagnosed with something yet, since it is so obvious that anger and defiance aren't his only problems. There is a long, long list of symptoms and issues that aren't explained by ODD.
I am just on cloud 9 today...that we found a doctor who seems to want to help my son...rather than just medicate him :)
Her answer, granted not definitive yet since we need several more appts, is that he def has ODD but she thinks that should be his secondary diagnosis. She thinks that his primary diagnosis should be something along the autism spectrum and she couldn't believe that he hadn't been diagnosed with something yet, since it is so obvious that anger and defiance aren't his only problems. There is a long, long list of symptoms and issues that aren't explained by ODD.
I am just on cloud 9 today...that we found a doctor who seems to want to help my son...rather than just medicate him :)
My guess? Just from your paragraph here....i think They will probably start talking about asbergers with you, so I would just research it a little (but don't draw conclusions!) so you can ask the right questions.
I am glad good doctors can still be found! It seems to be 1:10!!
Hope my opinions help!
I understand the "setting back" comment...but in our case I disagree. I honestly think that his misdiagnosis, or lack of complete diagnosis (which I still firmly believe), has done a lot of harm to him. He has already been labeled in daycare and school as a "BD" and "special ed" child. I honestly don't think an autism diagnosis will harm him...rather, I think it will do the opposite. There is funding in our school system for Aspergers and autistic children...currently, there seems to be no real funding or help for his ODD diagnosis alone. He is treated simply as a BD child, which I don't think is right.
I do totally agree with your idea of getting other opinions! My ex mother in law and discussed that tonight. We've spent years being "underdiagnosed" as far as I'm concerned...I don't want to waste years with a wrong diagnosis either. We've already wasted too many important years fighting the system.
I was so excited to find this doctor. I also agree with your 1:10...although I would have said 1:100...lol! We've been through several, and she's the first one we have encountered that spent more time listening and watching my son rather than talking and telling me about my own child.
I always find it helps me to write my questions in a notebook for weeks leading up to an appointment with any doctor. I deal with a lot of doctors, and I have learned it is ok to ask specific questions on topics they haven't mentioned like: "do you suspect..." a diagnosis...or if a doctor seems to be on a different track than you expected: "what is the difference between what you are talking about and..." (insert your suspicions!). I have more often regretted Not asking much more than asking!
Just to clarify, what I meant by "set you back" is...every misdiagnosis in a chart can distract from and delay finding out "the real issue". If they can "explain away a symptom" they are less likely to investigate and confirm the cause of a symptom. I meant it more as a medical setback than an educational one.
Unfortunatly, in schools, when they decide the problem is "just behavioral" they tend to make that child less of a priority. Very sad...I have seen it a lot though. The more involved you can be, the more you can fight that kind of treatment!