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This article deals with addressing when is a good time to get the police involved in handling an oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) child’s violent outburst.

While involving the police doesn’t really help very much when you’re child is quite young, it does seem to have the desired effects when it comes to dealing with violent child behavior in older kids and teenagers.

A number of parents are hesitant in approaching the police and for a number of reasons. The main reason, though, remains to be the number of stories doing rounds about situations going out of hand when the police are involved, most of which are exaggerated or untrue anyway.

Some parents get the impression that their children could be unforgiving. Some are afraid of losing them, and some others think they might go away. A majority of the time, these fears are unjustifiable.

The police, on the whole, try and do their best in helping you, and spoiling the future of your child is not their aim.

The point being, at times it becomes necessary for a parent to involve the police in dealing with their ODD child and his violent child behavior.

This is how you should take it forward; if your ODD child is turning violent or abusive, if he is destroying any kind of property, and if you think you can no longer handle the situation; then the police should already be on the way, or called immediately.

This is where the situation is at a point where the child refuses to acknowledge the authority that his parents command. This is the point where involving the police can help because their voice will have to be heard.

Any form of abuse and destruction should not be let off easily. If a child indulges in violence and is not corrected in a timely manner, possibilities of him having a life linked to crime definitely increase.

Upon turning eighteen and becoming an adult legally, unlawful things that a person does can land him in serious trouble.

Parenting a violent child is tough. You should know that the authorities that get involved are not out for your child’s blood and actually try to help.

Besides trying to help your child, they also try and help you get in control again. They can also try and help financially, and help get all the support systems working.

But this changes when the child celebrates his eighteenth birthday. Why? Because the child then ceases to be a child and is tried through the penal system that serves adults.

This makes it important to try and seek help as early as possible, especially if your child is taking a turn for the worse, causing destruction, indulging in violent activities, or getting involved in uncompromising situations.

Help should be given long before your child’s eighteenth birthday.

The main reason behind this is that after that point, any unlawful activity can come with stern discipline. Once on this path, a lifelong battle with crime cannot be ruled out, especially if help doesn’t come in the formative years.

Often times, a run in with the police when your child is in his early teen years will be the only thing that will convince him to straighten out. And yes, in these cases, help can be the police.

In a number of scenarios, police involvement becomes necessary. The police, I’ll have you know, do try helping.

If you are wary that things might take an ugly turn and get out of your control… thinking about involving the police at an earlier stage (when the situation is still under control) is definitely recommended. This should be on your parenting agenda. Also, getting in touch with local juvenile organizations can also be very helpful.

If you think you might need police involvement, planning it in advance is always better than waiting for an ‘emergency’ situation to erupt. You can always try and foresee any violent child behavior and plan accordingly.

Also, if you’re raising an ODD child, trying to keep a check on the future is a good idea. Knowing what alternatives can be followed is also good.

 

This article deals with addressing when is a good time to get the police involved in handling an oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) child’s violent outburst.

While involving the police doesn’t really help very much when you’re child is quite young, it does seem to have the desired effects when it comes to dealing with violent child behavior in older kids and teenagers.

A number of parents are hesitant in approaching the police and for a number of reasons. The main reason, though, remains to be the number of stories doing rounds about situations going out of hand when the police are involved, most of which are exaggerated or untrue anyway.

Some parents get the impression that their children could be unforgiving. Some are afraid of losing them, and some others think they might go away. A majority of the time, these fears are unjustifiable.

The police, on the whole, try and do their best in helping you, and spoiling the future of your child is not their aim.

The point being, at times it becomes necessary for a parent to involve the police in dealing with their ODD child and his violent child behavior.

This is how you should take it forward; if your ODD child is turning violent or abusive, if he is destroying any kind of property, and if you think you can no longer handle the situation; then the police should already be on the way, or called immediately.

This is where the situation is at a point where the child refuses to acknowledge the authority that his parents command. This is the point where involving the police can help because their voice will have to be heard.

Any form of abuse and destruction should not be let off easily. If a child indulges in violence and is not corrected in a timely manner, possibilities of him having a life linked to crime definitely increase.

Upon turning eighteen and becoming an adult legally, unlawful things that a person does can land him in serious trouble.

Parenting a violent child is tough. You should know that the authorities that get involved are not out for your child’s blood and actually try to help.

Besides trying to help your child, they also try and help you get in control again. They can also try and help financially, and help get all the support systems working.

But this changes when the child celebrates his eighteenth birthday. Why? Because the child then ceases to be a child and is tried through the penal system that serves adults.

This makes it important to try and seek help as early as possible, especially if your child is taking a turn for the worse, causing destruction, indulging in violent activities, or getting involved in uncompromising situations.

Help should be given long before your child’s eighteenth birthday.

The main reason behind this is that after that point, any unlawful activity can come with stern discipline. Once on this path, a lifelong battle with crime cannot be ruled out, especially if help doesn’t come in the formative years.

Often times, a run in with the police when your child is in his early teen years will be the only thing that will convince him to straighten out. And yes, in these cases, help can be the police.

In a number of scenarios, police involvement becomes necessary. The police, I’ll have you know, do try helping.

If you are wary that things might take an ugly turn and get out of your control… thinking about involving the police at an earlier stage (when the situation is still under control) is definitely recommended. This should be on your parenting agenda. Also, getting in touch with local juvenile organizations can also be very helpful.

If you think you might need police involvement, planning it in advance is always better than waiting for an ‘emergency’ situation to erupt. You can always try and foresee any violent child behavior and plan accordingly.

Also, if you’re raising an ODD child, trying to keep a check on the future is a good idea. Knowing what alternatives can be followed is also good.

 

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a childhood psychiatric disruptive behavior disorder.

ODD children typically are aggressive toward others.  They tend to intentionally bother and irritate those around them.  In addition, these children rebel against authority and will refuse to obey instructions for no particular reason.  Oppositional Defiant Disorder children cause a lot of problems for those around them and are particularly difficult for parents, teachers, and other adults whose position demands obedience and authority.

Oppositional defiant children have trouble taking responsibility for their actions.  Every problem, obstacle, or setback is always someone else’s fault.  These children are stubborn and continually test limits.  They frequently and unpredictably get angry, throw tantrums, and try the patience of those around them.  ODD children break rules and refuse to take direction, even early in childhood.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder children tend to be manipulative.  They are quite skilled at causing conflict all around them.  They are very good at pitting adults against each other.  Often an ODD child in the home will turn parent against parent, parents against teachers, and induce discord in those around them.

In short, ODD children:
• Easily lose their temper
• Constantly argue with adults
• Refuse to carry out requests
• Won’t obey rules
• Intentionally bother those around them
• Continually test limits and authority
• Refuse to accept responsibility for their own mistakes or misbehavior
• Are easily annoyed
• Frequently get angered, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive.
• Are mean when upset
• Take revenge when they feel wronged
• Throw temper tantrums even when older

There are a number of drug interventions that are used to treat ODD children.  The focus of these drugs is to treat the other conditions that often accompany Oppositional Defiant Disorder in the hope that the ODD will also improve.  However, to date, there is still no proven medical treatment that addresses Oppositional Defiant Disorder directly.

At this time, the primary way to treat Oppositional Defiant Disorder is through parent training programs.  These programs are extremely effective in improving defiant behavior and are the only effective way to deal directly with ODD.

The main problem with parent training programs is that they are extremely expensive.  Usually these programs are led by a psychologist or another mental health professional, last many months, and can carry a price tag of several thousands dollars.   However, parents who have the money and are willing to spend it, find that these programs do make a difference.

However, a new study now suggests that parents have a better option.

Recently, researchers at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago tested three different ways of administering parent training programs.  The purpose of the study was to determine if a professionally directed parent training program was more effective than a self-administered home based program in treating Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).  They studied 117 parents who received either  psychologist led parent training, nurse led parent training, or a home based self-administered parent training program.

The results were quite significant.  Even one year after the study, all three groups of parents had significant improvement in their homes.  However, it didn’t matter which group the parents were in.  They all experienced about the same amount of improvement.  The only significant difference was in the length of time parents enrolled in the program.  Those who spend more time, got significantly better results.

What this study means for you is that you don’t need to shell out thousands of dollars to get the help you need for your ODD child.  You can get the same results in a much more cost effective way, by enrolling in an online program, such as How to Improve Your Child’s Behavior for children ages 2-12 or in How to Handle Your Difficult Defiant Teenager for children 12 and older.

The main thing is that you must use a program that is designed to give you step by step instructions.  It is important to note that this study did not show that just books on parenting help at all.

Anthony Kane, MD

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/akanemd
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/akanemd

You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/ymeynty56

Child Defiance

About a year ago I wrote an article on Oppositional Defiant Disorder discussing the condition, symptoms and treatment options. This article is an update describing what is new.

Introduction

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a psychiatric behavior disorder that is characterized by aggressiveness and a tendency to purposefully bother and irritate others.  These behaviors cause significant difficulties with family and friends and at school or work.

Description

Oppositional defiant children show a consistent pattern of refusing to follow commands or requests by adults.   These children repeatedly lose their temper, argue with adults, and refuse to comply with rules and directions.  They are easily annoyed and blame others for their mistakes.  Children with ODD show a pattern of stubbornness and frequently test limits, even in early childhood.

These children can be manipulative and often induce discord in those around them. Commonly they turn attention away from themselves by inciting parents and other family members to fight with one and other.

Behavioral Symptoms

Normal children occasionally have episodes of defiant behavior, particularly during ages of transition such as 2 to 3 or the teenage years where the child uses defiance in an attempt to assert himself.  Children who are tired, hungry, or upset may be defiant.  Oppositional defiant behavior is a matter of degree and frequency.  Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder display difficult behavior to the extent that it can interfere with learning, school adjustment, and, sometimes, with the child’s social relationships.

Common behaviors seen in Oppositional Defiant Disorder include:

• Losing one’s temper
• Arguing with adults
• Actively defying requests
• Refusing to follow rules
• Deliberately annoying other people
• Blaming others for one’s own mistakes or misbehavior
• Being touchy, easily annoyed
• Being easily angered, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive.
• Speaking harshly, or unkind when upset
• Seeking revenge
• Having frequent temper tantrums

Many parents report that their ODD children were rigid and demanding from an early age.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of ODD is not always straight forward and needs to be made by a psychiatrist or some other qualified mental health professional after a comprehensive evaluation.

If you feel your child may have ODD, there is a quick ODD Screening Test at http://addadhdadvances.com/ODDtest.html

Causes

It is not clear what causes Oppositional Defiant Disorder.  There are currently two theories.

The developmental theory suggests that ODD is really a result of incomplete development.  For some reason, ODD children never complete the developmental tasks that normal children master during the toddler years.  They get stuck in the 2-3 year old defiant stage and never really grow out of it.

The learning theory suggests that Oppositional Defiant Disorder comes as a response to negative interactions.  The techniques used by parents and authority figures on these children bring about the oppositional defiant behavior.

Co-morbidity

Oppositional Defiant Disorder usually does not occur alone.

50-65% of ODD children also have:

• ADD ADHD
• 35% of these children develop some form of affective disorder
• 20% have some form of mood disorder, such as
• Bipolar Disorder or anxiety
• 15% develop some form of personality disorder
• Many of these children have learning disorders

Any child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder must be evaluated for other disorders as well.  If your child has ODD it is imperative to find out what are the co-existing problems. This is the key to treating the condition, as we shall soon discuss.

Prognosis

So what happens to these children?  There are four possible paths.

1. Some will grow out of it.  Half of the preschoolers that are labeled ODD are normal by the age of 8.  However, in older ODD children, 75% will still fulfill the diagnostic criteria later in life.
2. The ODD may turn into something else.  5-10% of preschoolers with ODD have their diagnosis changed from ODD to ADHD.In some children, the defiance gets worse. These children may have Conduct Disorder.com/CDtest.html.  This progression usually happens fairly early.  If a child has ODD for 3-4 years and he hasn’t developed Conduct Disorder, then he wonít ever develop it.
3. The child may continue to have ODD without any thing else.  This is unusual.  By the time preschoolers with ODD are 8 years old, only 5% have ODD and nothing else.
4. In addition to the ODD, the child develops other disorders.  This is very common.

Treatment: Medical Intervention

There have been some recent studies that have examined the effects of certain medications on Oppositional Defiant Disorder.  All the research is preliminary and just suggests that certain treatments may help.

One study examined the use of Ritalin  to treat children with both ADHD and ODD. This study found that 90% of the children treated with Ritalin no longer had the ODD by the end of the study.  The researchers skewed the results a bit because a number of children were dropped from the study because they wouldn’t comply with the treatment regimen.  Still if these children are included as treatment failures the study   still showed a 75% success rate.

There have been two studies examining the effect of Strattera on children with both ADHD and ODD.  One study showed that Strattera helped with ODD, one study showed it did not help.

There was a large Canadian study that showed that Risperdal helped with aggressive behavior in children with below normal intelligence.  It did not matter if the child had ADHD or not.

There was study showing that 80% of children with explosive behavior improved when given the mood stabilizer, divalproex.

There was another pilot study examining the use of Omega-3 oils and vitamin E in ODD children.  Both helped the ODD behavior to some degree.

Treatment: Psychological Intervention

Parent management training is still viewed as the main treatment for Oppositional Defiant Disorder.  Our ODD programs , How to Improve Your Child’s Behavior, located at http://addadhdadvances.com/betterbehavior.html which is available online, or some other parent training program is still considered essential if you want to help your child.  Also, the younger your child is when you enroll in such a program, the better the results.

Conclusion:  Advice to Parents

Currently, there is still far too little research on this very common disorder.

The most effective medical intervention is to address first the problems that accompany the ODD.  Considering that Ritalin may help alleviate the problem in 75-90% of ODD children who have ADHD, and considering that most children with ODD also have some degree of ADHD, I feel that it is very worth your while to try your ODD child on Ritalin unless you know for sure that he does not have ADHD.  The other treatments may also be worth a try depending upon the nature of your child.

I feel that using Omega-3 supplements and a vitamin E supplement should be tried in all children.  This is because most children are deficient in these nutrients.  Even if it does not help with the ODD, it should make your child healthier.

Parent training is still the most effective means of dealing with Oppositional Defiant Disorder.  The two main drawbacks of most of these programs are the expense and the availability.

Some practitioners charge $100 or more per visit and considering the program will take several months costs add up.  Insurance usually will not pay for such programs.  Many parents complain to me that they can not afford the program that their child so desperately needs.

In addition, these programs are not available everywhere.  Over the years, numerous parents have told me that where they live there are no programs for Oppositional Defiant Children.

I created two programs to address these two problems.  The first is the ODD Program for Children ages 2-11.  The second is our ODD Program for Teens ages 12 and older.

This allows parents to help their children regardless of where they live and at a cost that is less than one office visit. 

It is tough to live with children who have ODD.  However, if you make sure that your child has his other problems addressed and you improve your parenting skills by enrolling in a parent training program, you can do a great deal to improve your child’s condition and his future.

Anthony Kane, MD

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/akanemd
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/akanemd

You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/ymeynty56

 

 

The fundamental rule for all discipline problems is encouraging good behavior instead of punishing bad behavior. It’s a tried and tested method that rewards work better than punishments.

Sure, it might work for you for a little while, but then you find your children laughing at you every time you say ‘one more time and I’ll (insert child disciplinary method)’. Well, you aren’t the first parent to experience this and not only does it ruin consistency, it creates a negative environment in the home.

You can’t afford to neglect child discipline; but punishment tactics should be avoided as far as possible; they don’t work. Try a reward system instead. Rewards don’t have to be tangible; a nod of approval, a word of praise and a warm hug can work wonders. You can encourage positive children’s behavior by positive reinforcement. It makes you and your child feel good. And, it saves time on the yelling.

Don’t know where to start with establishing a reward system? Here are some parenting help steps to help you get started.

1. Sit down, just the parents, and communicate. Set up a list of child behavior actions and rewards. For example, cleaning up the bedroom without having to be reminded means an extra hour of TV on the weekend.

2. The next step is to sit down with your children, if they are old enough, and explain the system. Remember to engage older children in this type of routine change. It will make it run smoothly and avoid any child behavior problems. If they feel they are contributing to the household decision making process they will be more willing to cooperate. Younger children listen to older siblings more than they obey orders from parents. They are the second-rung management, you see.

3. Follow through and keep a record. Keeping track of a lot of activities can be hard to do. Use the chart to keep track of where each child stands. This is also a visual reinforcement.

Following these three steps will help you get started in establishing a reward-based child discipline system in your home to help make sure things get done. By rewarding good child behavior and the accomplishment of child discipline tasks, you set a positive foundation for self-esteem.

More information on children’s behavioral problems is available from Dr. Noel Swanson’s website, which is all about solving Child Behavior Problems. Make sure you get Dr. Swanson’s FREE newsletter and 1 hour downloadable audio CD too.

Let’s face it! Parenting is definitely not an easy job.Especially if your child has behavioral problems. Most parents tried hard to change their child but ends up frustrated due to a lack in results. It is vital to understand that we cannot change our kid’s behavior until we are able to teach them the skills they need to be accountable for their behaviors.

Here are 10 points that i would like to share with you. Hopefully you will find it less stressful whenever your child is getting on your nerves. These are mere extracts of the total 27 tools in one of the lesson, that you will find in The Total Transformation Program by James Lehman.

1) Use direct statements

You need to be firm, clear and direct when you are dealing with a child’s bad behavior. Do not give rooms for negotiation. This will only give a child leeway for future misbehaviors.

2) Stop the show

If you find that your child is misbehaving badly or exhibiting tantrums, say in a public place, then stop whatever programs that you’ve planned for the day and go home. I know this can be tough, especially when you have already planned for the day. But if your child is misbehaving, he needs to know that there isn’t any “exciting” activities for the rest of the day unless he stops his bad behavior.

3) Use consequences to get honesty

Take lying for example. If your child is telling lies, you need to give him some consequences for his action. Turning a blind eye will only goes to tell your child that its ok to lie.

4) Be clear about your values

Communicate to your kids about your family values. It’s always easy for a child to understand values if this is ingrain into them at an early age. Start early. If your child has grown past his toddler years, don’t give up. It’s still not too late. A child will learn by observing you. Do not just talk about values, show them how you embrace those values as well.

5) Identify Thinking Errors and Excuses

How many times has your child come up with excuses to justify his bad behavior ? Don’t argue over those excuses. Focus on the processes of their excuse, NOT their excuses!

6) Use Single-Issue Focus

Keep focus on the issue. Always address unrelated subjects at a later time.

7) Cueing

This is the single most effective method that I have used on my kids. Try ways to establish cues with your child. This can be very helpful if you are in a public place and a stare at him and communicate the message that he is in trouble if he continues misbehaving.

Use strategic recognition and affection

Give your kid credit when he does something right. Let him know that you recognize his efforts.

9) Give basic direction

I know this sounds simple. But sometimes we parents forget that our kids are still kids and that they need basic instructions for certain tasks. Lead and guide them by showing them the right way to do certain tasks.

10) Demand and expect compliance

Parents need to know why their kid has to comply. Compliance is not submission without an understanding of why. Parents will need to understand why they want their child to be compliant. Is it just out of anger? Or you want certain truths and values to be imparted to your child.