There are so many types of diagnoses out there for bad child behavior. We’ve all heard of ADD (Attention deficit disorder) and the more recently introduced ADHD (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). Well now there is a new disorder called ODD.
The ODD acronym stands for “Oppositional Defiant Disorder”, which is “a disruptive behavior disorder of children” by definition. How nice that kids who used to be called naughty and later just plain bad now have an official label! Notice that the definition leaves much up to the interpretation, and dare I say imagination, of the diagnosing therapist.
How about these main symptoms of ODD:
* Negativity
* Defiance
* Refusal to comply with adult requests or rules
* Hostility towards authority figures
* Frequent temper tantrums
* Refusal to comply with adult requests or rules
* Deliberate annoyance of other people
* Blaming others for mistakes or misbehavior
* Academic problems
* Anger and resentment
* Aggressiveness toward peers
* Difficulty maintaining friendships
* Academic problems
To the average person, a typical kid who is diagnosed with ODD is just a child in need of some serious structure and discipline. The last thing I’d want to give a “bad” kid is a drug, so they can now develop a drug habit on top of their nasty attitude. A psychiatric diagnosis like this more often than not results in the prescription of some type of controlled substance, even though psychiatric conditions have no “hard” tests that can prove whether or not someone has the condition. These diagnoses are based on:
* Information gained from interviewing the child
* Information compiled from parents and teachers, etc. who may fill out forms or questionnaires
* Their clinical judgment and experience
And if this is what the diagnosis is based upon, who is to say that it wouldn’t vary from one health care professional or psychiatrist to another or even what was going on in the day to day lives of those being interviewed and what mood they were in?
Getting the ODD label will put your child on the fast track to expensive drugs (hey, it’s only a $5 co-pay, right?), expensive therapy and likely both, for years to come. This is not to say that you shouldn’t take action if you have a kid that talks back, is disrespectful and is a general nuisance to everyone around.
There are far better options than drugging your child. Did you know that there are parents out there who have successfully turned around their “bad” kids in a short amount of time without medicating them? It’s true! You may want to see what a parent like that has done and learn from their example before trying the drugs and professional therapy route. There are even parents who are willing to teach you what they did.
Find out about the tested, proven behavior repair kit that has worked miracles for so many desperate parents and their children!
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