oppositional problems...

[nedgly]

Hi, can anyone tell me about oppositional disorder. I have just read a bit about it, my 15 year old daughter shows symptoms of it but only at home with her dad. We are fairly sure she has ASD, which we are waiting to start assessment process for. The school say she doesn't have any problems at school, but we see lots of problems at home. She just finds everything difficult. My main question is, if she has ODD, could she hide it at school in the same way she seems to with ASD? We just seem to get the brunt of everything at home, she says she holds everything back at school, so maybe this is whats going on with lots of things. Sorry to rant on but I just need to get some answers for her.

Nedgly

[JsMum]

I have some reservations to ODD,

 

I personally feel that this is actually a real issue with anxietys around tasks that make them feel anxious or they have a sensory issue, for J who is diagnosed with ODD I feel that the real reason he is oppositional is because he is avioding something that really upsets him, he shows this with been defiant and oppositional, J reacts to things he dislikes with anger and aggression so he is more prone to behaving like those in a tantrum, however I feel that the oppositional, defiant streak is the signs that he is infact anxious and has fears so he avoids at any cost.

 

J has a high need to be in control and he constantly strives to have power in situations but I feel he needs these as he reacts to change so poorly and so he constatly wants to feel in control, but this is also a trait of ODD, too, so I am not sure.

 

I would look further into ASDs first and children only under 11 are diagnosed as ODD when they reach over this is it more lilely they are diagnosed with Conduct Disorder but then I also have opinions to this condition as for many teens what they really have is an undiagnosed ASD and they have received negative reactions and not given the correct education, social services support and other agencies because they treat Conduct Disorder with more harsh disaplin than you would with a child with ASDs.

 

Conduct Disorder doesnt bring any future support and its regaurded apon the same attitudes as ADHD and there just naughty kids and need punishments when all that does it makes them feel more scared and more anxious and then this obvously leeds to more problems and the child is oppotional and defiant and challenge authority.

 

They need a very different aproach to conventional parenting methods and they are often misunderstood.

 

JsMum

Edited February 9, 2008 by JsMum

[Karen A]

HERE is a link to a thread on the Forum that others have found helpful.It is all about children that are ok at school but anxious at home.It may be useful.Karen.