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...
Hi there everyone. It is so nice to find a place that doesn't make me feel like a bad mother. In a nut shell my 14 year old daughter was diagnosed at age 10 with ADHD and has in the last year been diagnosed ODD with anxiety. It has been a LONG time in coming. I wish I would have found the correct diagnosis years ago, not for lack of trying. We only just had her diagnosed, but we began seeking help for her at age 3. At any rate, I am having a difficult time accepting the term oppositional defiant disorder. Please don't get me wrong, I do believe it is real but also it just sounds like code for my daughter is a brat for no reason at all. The anxiety I can see. I mean, physically she changes and I am understanding more and more how the anxiety affects her. But the ODD, that is harder for me to wrap my head around. However, I know this ODD is a real thing because she has ALWAYS, EVER been this way. She is by far my most difficult child. From birth I have dealt with the most extreme behaviors from this child. So I guess my question here is how many of you parents have always seen these things in your child, or when did the issues first present? There is no reason for my question other than trying to find comfort in others stories. I have read how so many parents feel isolated, misunderstood, rejected and so on. It is such a lonely feeling to have this beautiful child that you are so very blessed by, whom you love desperately and have to literally walk away from to keep from hurting. You know, hurting that beautiful child that you really do love. Does any want to maybe share some of your experience in recognizing these behaviors in your child?
I am new to this group as well. My son is 13. He was diagnosed last year with ADHD and ODD. I have two other boys 21 and 20 from my previous marriage. I always knew my youngest was a little different, because he wasn't so warm and fuzzy like his brothers were growing up, and he didn't like sports. I tried everything. He can be such a good kid, but yet once he crosses that threshold in school he becomes a different person. He continually misbehaves, is disrespectful, doesn't complete assignments, and appears to have no regard for authority. Yet at home he appears to be afraid of me, and says he is continually sorry. I am at my limit with him. I feel like a failure as a parent. We have tried therapy- he will not talk, we have tried medication- it makes him zombie like, I just do not know what to do. I just want him better.
I am new to this group and this diagnosis...not new to the symptoms. My son is 7 years old. He was diagnosed this year with ADHD and ODD. I have know since he was a toddler that there was something a bit different about him. He would get in trouble at daycare daily when he was only 1 year old. I had to pull him from daycare because they threatened to expel him. To be honest, his symptoms are not as extreme at home as when he is away at school or with grandparents, so truth be told I have been in denial for a very long time. Every year at school his teachers had suggested I have him tested for ADHD but I always refused because I did not want him to be on medicine and I thought I could handle this myself at home. Well, this year during 1st grade it was to the point that he was put on a tier program at school where he goes to a teacher that helps him with social skills for 30 min 2x a day and they were discussing a new school if this did not work. This makes you feel like a complete failure as a parent. After this, I took him to the doctor. The doctor prescribed Concerta and Intuniv. This has helped tremendously with his inattentiveness and the constant need to move but he also has extreme impulsive behavior (the most worrisome symptom to me for our situation) and even though the meds help some with this, it does not help everything. He has recently started lying compulsively and right to our faces even when we know the truth or when he knows I will check and find out the truth. This last week we have caught him in several serious lies and confronted him with evidence to which he apologizes profusely and acts remorseful. We disciplined accordingly and the very next day he does the exact same thing he got in trouble for the day before. I don't know what else to do from here or who to turn to. If we are here with him at age 7, I worry where we will be in a few years. I worry for his safety and his mental health. I hear so many horror stories. I just want to hear one positive story and have someone tell me what I need to do to help my baby. I know this is long and I am sorry but I do not have anyone to talk to about this. Other people don't believe its a real thing and all he needs it sunshine and outdoor play or more effective discipline. I am so lost.