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Tantrums, Tempers and Tears

Could Your Child Have ODD?

By Tamar Weiss

At some point, every parent finds themselves at the end of their rope, pulling their hair out as a result of a youngster throwing a temper tantrum. We wish we could be miraculously transported to another place and time, far away from our screaming, disobedient preschooler. Aside from giving in to unreasonable demands, nothing we do or say at times like these will appease that child at that moment. And so we may take a deep breath, count to 10 -- whatever helps to keep us calm and in control -- and we pray for it to pass quickly. Yet some parents may find themselves in these situations way too often. Some kids have more than their share of tantrums and particularly disobedient behavior, and perhaps they are even hostile. How does a parent know when their child is just being a typical preschooler having a bad day, or if there is a serious underlying problem?

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), "Openly uncooperative and hostile behavior becomes a serious concern when it is so frequent and consistent that it stands out when compared with other children of the same age and developmental level, and when it affects the child's social, family and academic life." Does this describe your child? If so, your child may have ODD.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) defines Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) as a behavioral disorder in which a child displays behavior that follows a pattern of negativism, hostility and defiance, lasting at least 6 months, and four or more of the following must be present:

Your child often:

• loses her temper
• argues with adults
• actively defies or refuses to comply with adults' requests or rules
• deliberately annoys people
• blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
• is touchy or easily annoyed by others
• is angry or resentful
• is spiteful or vindictive

Want to see more?

• Dr. William Sears explains Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Just Say No To
• Stop the Violence: When Toddler Battles Become Parental Wars
• Stop That Whining!
• Ask your discipline questions here.
• Have do you handle your child's temper tantrums? Let us know at the Preschoolers Discipline Board.