Oppositional Defiant Disorder Causes

It is true that in the short answer, no one knows for sure what causes Oppositional Defiant Disorder. A number of suggestions have been made in studies, but no definitive conclusions have yet been drawn. Part of the problem is the limited amount of field studies which have been compiled and published.

As with most types of psychiatric illnesses, Oppositional Defiant Disorder is believed to be caused by three main factors: environment, medical and genetics.

Enviromental Causes

One of the few studies which have been documented has drawn a positive correlation between children whose mothers smoke during the pregnancy and the incidence of Oppositional Defiant Disorder. If the mother smokes during pregnancy the child is two to three times more likely to end up with the disease.

Positive correlation has also been found between alcoholism in the parents and ODD or Conduct Disorder. Another link is parents who have been in trouble with the law. It has been shown that a child with a father who is alcoholic and has been arrested, jailed or convicted has a rate of ODD incidence of nearly twenty percent.

Medical Causes

Chemical imbalance in the child, such as those associated with ODD children, are often a factor blamed as a cause for Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Since it rarely appears alone, it is again, difficult to define as being caused by a specific medical problem. A child, who has sleep disorders of any type, often begins manifesting symptoms of ODD. It usually appears by age 8 and if left untreated, will result in escalation to Conduct Disorder in nearly 52% of cases.

Genetic Causes

It is known that Oppositional Defiant Disorder does run in families, but that may be in part due to the alcohol and cigarette consumption mentioned in the early symptoms.

More than likely the cause of the illness would have to be stated as a combination of biological, behavioral and environmental conditions which impact the child who may have a genetic predisposition to the illness.

The strain on the family when one family member is exhibiting symptoms such as the above can be a cause in itself.