Instead of lashing out or having a tantrum, they may be angry and annoyed all the time. Teens with ODD may be able to internalize their feelings more than younger children. Challenges at school may further frustrate the child creating a cycle that could lead to more symptoms or outbursts. Symptoms of ODD may ultimately interfere with learning, making school difficult. In addition to behavioral symptoms, a child with ODD may have one or more of these symptoms:

being unwilling to negotiate or compromise.deliberately upsetting or annoying others.easily frustrated or quick to lose one’s temper.What are the symptoms of ODD in children?Ĭhildren with ODD will show several of these behavioral symptoms: Keep reading to find out what ODD is, how it’s diagnosed, and what can be done to help a child who has it. These issues can last through their teenage years and into adulthood. If ODD is not addressed and treated in childhood, the child may develop long-term, chronic problems. However, it’s more likely they’ll show up between ages 6 and 8. Symptoms of ODD can appear as early as 2 or 3 years old. It is estimated between 2 and 16 percent of school-age children and teens have ODD. They may take place in other settings, too, such as school. These behaviors may happen only at home, around parents. They throw temper tantrums, defy authority figures, or are argumentative with peers or siblings. This ongoing hostile or defiant behavior could be a sign of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Sometimes, however, that behavior can be persistent and frequent. Some level of disobedience and rule breaking is a normal and healthy part of childhood. Children often test the limits of their parents and authority figures.

Odd & True by Cat Winters