Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder

There are specific symptoms associated with the disorder known as Oppositional Defiant Disorder, many of which are common to children of any age groups. The differences which lead trained counselors and psychiatrists to diagnose the condition are a matter of frequency and severity of the symptoms.

Since this disorder and others surrounding it are so controversial, there is disagreement as to what constitutes a level of symptoms which fall in the range between normal childhood behavior and the high end of the scale known as Conduct Disorder.

The child who has Oppositional Defiant Disorder will often lose their temper, at least twice per week. This may take the form of a temper tantrum. Arguments with adults are also common, occurring with the same regularity as losing the temper. The child with ODD often will actively refuse to comply with rules made by an adult, and may even actively defy the adult. "Often' is categorized as occurring at least twice per week. Becoming annoyed easily or being particularly touchy is another common manifestation of ODD.

The occurrence of just two or three of the Oppositional Defiant Disorder symptoms is not enough to be categorized as being ODD. There must be at least 4 of the symptoms present at high enough levels to take the child out of the real of normal behavior for their age and psychological and social development.

If a child sets out deliberately to be annoying and this occurs on a frequency of 4 or more times weekly, it considered a symptom at a level sufficient to be attributed to ODD. Anger and resentment observed at the sale level of frequency is also related to ODD.

Any spiteful or vindictive behavior which has occurred during the last three months is considered suspect, as is blaming others for errors, mistakes and misbehavior.

Although it is difficult to imagine the symptoms of Conduct Disorder could be more serious, they are in fact even stronger. For example while the ODD child might be vindictive or spiteful, the Conduct Disorder child may well take the vindictiveness to a less of physical harm to the other person or often to a pet or other prized possession which the other person owns.

It is not unusual for a child manifesting these symptoms to be the cause of an entire family breakup, since it seems hopeless to deal with them and too exhausting to continue to try.