When all they can say is "no": What parents must expect from oppositional defiance

It is completely normal for young people to disobey their parents every so often. Children and adolescents are naturally inquisitive and would often come at an age where they would question the existence of and test the limits to parental authority. Younger children (and adolescents entering puberty) in particular often pass a phase where they would be defiant for no reason at all. Parental authority must be firm but fair in these cases, and children must be taught that rules exist for a reason and must be followed.

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There are cases, however, when children or adolescents become too defiant in comparison with their peers, which may be a symptom of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). This is a condition wherein a young person undergoes a pattern of hostile, defiant, and uncooperative behavior that impedes daily function and jeopardizes his or her social, family, and academic life.

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Children and teenagers with symptoms of ODD (which include excessive arguing with adults, frequent temper tantrums, active defiance, deliberate attempts to annoy people, and mean and hateful communication toward others) are somewhat difficult to single out from their peers at first. Parents can take the opportunity to have their children psychiatrically tested for ODD.

More details on ODD can be accessed here, here, and here.

Parents of children with ODD can rest easy knowing that psychiatric treatment for their children is readily available.

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Aspen Education Group provides a host of residential treatment and wilderness therapy programs to help problematic teenagers, particularly those with disorders or prone to self-inflicted abuse. Visit this website for more information on its programs.