Facing an ODD Diagnosis

I have a friend with a first grade son just diagnosed with ODD. He has been receiving counseling (so has she) and it is helping! Goodluck!

The only benefit diagnosis like these have is what services or considerations it makes available for your child. If you approach the doctors with that in mind, it gives you a firmer, less emotional ground from which to work.

My son was diagnosed with Autism at 18 months old. Now, more than a year later, I am grateful for the diagnosis as it has made several courses of therapy available to him and improvements are vast. Best of luck to you and your son.

- L.

How old is your child? ODD, bipolar, autism are symptoms. I have a child with autism. It doesn't really matter what you call it but you need to be able to treat it. Dr. Kenneth Bock has a book called Healing the New Childhood Epidemics:Autism, Asthma, ADHD and Allergies. It is a good start to learn about things you can do to address symptoms.

I think you wait until you know everything and then just go with the flow like everyone does no matter what kind of child they have. Enjoy being a mom and when you get your information take it from there. I work with children like this and we love them and help them no matter what.

remember that labels are helpful to give you the tools you need to be the best possible mom and advocate to your individual unique child, not boxes that he's stuffed into and that define him. there's an enormous spectrum between behaviors that have always existed are just now being 'named' and new epidemics that our modern world is introducing to our kids. the labels don't determine where your child falls in this spectrum, but using the tools and opportunities that having a diagnosis offers can make finding your son's place easier. from there you will be able to confidently create the best atmosphere for him to flourish.
hang in there, mom. this may not be an easy road, but ultimately i'm betting you and your son will move along it with a sense of adventure and accomplishment.
khairete
S.

This is not something that you can't deal with. So many children for some reason have this medicinal problem. Just make sure you are disciplining him in the right way. Always let him know that you love him. If he gets defiant, its a time out right away. You have to stick to it. At times' it will be hard but eventually he will learn. Check out places' that he would be accepted with other groups, such as camps, church, family outings. Let him get his anger out, just by running, swimming, keeping him busy. If he is bored and really has nothing to think about, this is when it will kick in. Be sure to discipline whether he likes it or not. He knows' what hes' doing even though he can't help it, but you have to stop it before it starts. I wish you luck, and I believe you can do it. Your physician will give you more specifics and possibly meds' to help him as well.

Dear T.,

Are you a believer? I asked this question because I believe that God uniquely hand crafted your son. Labels don't really mean anything when God is in the designing process. What I mean is the doctors have already made one mistake. They maybe making yet another mistake. Some may thank God for ODD rather than a bipolar diagnosis. Don't be fearful and don't worry. I believe that God will give you a tremendous break through if you just ask. Ask God to tell you about his unique creation and the specific design that he has given your son. He will reveal it to you and direct your path. I say this because many diagnosis have been placed upon my son only to have them drop off. I continually pray to God on my son's behalf and God continues to frustrate any diagnosis that the professionals can give. Guess what after the last bout of sending him to a neurologist, he has been found to be normal at age 7 soon to be 8. They are now saying he's just bad (Smile). Oh well! I will pray for your son. Whatever God's plan is for his life, we will pray that God will give you the strength and the courage to advocate on his behalf. Fear and worry aren't needed. Your strength and wisdom is needed. Be strong and don't worry. He will be fine! Pray!

God Bless

The best thing you can do right now is to wait until you get the final evaluation in order to confirm or rule out the prognosis of your son's condition. I personally think that getting well informed is the best thing anyone can do to handle problems in life. Get the most of it, ask the specialists every details that comes to your mind, search on reliable resources to inform yourself in regard of your son's condition. At home, get everybody on the same page in terms of being informed and how to handle your kid's condition. Think in a positive way. These are the things I'd do, if I were you.

Hi T.,
A seveal yrs ago my nephew was diagnoisis with the same things Plus ADHD. My sis is a angle. She has another youger son and is a foster parent of 2 teen boys and husband works NY 2 wk out of the month. All I can say she is one of the most compassionite peolpe I know and I wouldn't be able to do everything she does in the day that she does. "And stay saine." Well anyway my nephew goes to a special school that specilzes with children that has these types of diagnosis. He is now going to be a Freshman and one of the talented artist in their state. She tried to put him MAIN STREAM schools but that just made things worse for him! The teachers were VERY mean to him and they DID NOT know how to teach him or WANT to. "Now with that said I not say all MS schools are that way just the one my nephew attended." So my suggestion is Look for the Right schools and find "THE THING HE LOVES MOST" like drawing (my nephews passion) to calm him down when he needs calming and do something with it . Get educated about his diagnosis and educate your family so that they are not scared to love him.
And remember he is your son and times will be challenging for you and son but he loves u in a special way and I know u love him know matter what. My sis called me about 4 yrs ago just a balling! She told me that he said Momma I LOVE YOU for the very first time and that she knew he always did in the way he huge and kiss her, but he never said the words. It was her happiest moment and it was mine because she shared it with ME.

So keep strong and focused there be better things to come.

It's not a death sentence. What it does is give a name to a bunch of behaviors that the child exhibits together. I have a child with an ODD/ADHD diagnosis.
In 4th grade I took him off all medication. He was a hard child to deal with but we did make it through his teen years and he is now a decorated Navy sailor.
CONSISTENCY is your key
Be consistent in your discipline. What worked for us was chocolate milk. If he was a good boy at school and got a smiley he got choloclate milk, if not no chocolate.
If he hit, kicked, or was physical he had a hold time out. I held him in TO in a hold until he quieted down. This worked until he was about 12/13.
After that we used the TO's and he did not try to escape.
We took all his toys. The only thing he wanted back ever were his Lego's and Gameboy. I did leave his books in his room.
Involve him in church. YOuth groups, Sunday school. Everyone must be on the same page with the discipline though. When he is good, chocolate milk (in our case). Naughty, TO.
At sometime choc milk will cease to elicit good behavior. Then taking away a gameboy or lego's would work.
We lived in Il for a while and when he didn't get dressed in the winter I sent him outside in his PJ's with his clothes. He got dressed pretty quickly.
We were very tough. No cable ever unitl he was 17. No internet access unless I was in the room. Bedtime was strictly enforced. It was a long 18 years but he made it. YOurs will too.