What Is Oppositional Defiant Disorder And Could My Child Have It?

Treating ODD In Children

Mental health professionals treat children with oppositional defiant disorder on an individual level. However, the typical treatments include parent-child interaction therapy, family therapy, individual therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as training on appropriate social skills. Individual therapy is designed to help children with ODD express their feelings and manage their anger in healthier ways. Family therapy is particularly useful for improving communication and relationships between everyone within the unit. Social skills training, as its name indicates, helps children with oppositional defiant disorder interact more appropriately with their peers.

Parents can also expect to receive training on developing parenting skills more appropriate for children with ODD, such as giving instructions and following through with consequences when needed. This leads to parent-child interaction therapy, where parents receive coaching on interactions with their child with an emphasis on reinforcing positive behavior. Medication usually does not come into oppositional defiant disorder treatment, unless the child also has another condition, such as bipolar disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, where it can be a big help in alleviating those symptoms.

Continue for more information on changes to help treat ODD.

Lifestyle Changes

When treating a child with oppositional defiant disorder, many mental health professionals will advise parents to make lifestyle changes to help improve the situation. Strategies they will often suggest include becoming an active part of the child's life if they are not doing so already, offering specific praise and rewards for positive behavior, leading by example, creating a daily routine (including a chore) with assistance from the child, and setting limits and appropriate consequences. It's also imperative parents encourage their children to partake in physical activity, eat a healthy diet, and get adequate sleep each night to help reduce symptoms.

Of course, parents must also be aware there will be challenges in treatment. Continue reading for information on this.