| Most parents of Oppositional Defiant Disorder children | | | | intention of causing serious damage |
| feel that things can't get much worse. Well, in the | | | | -has deliberately destroyed other's property other |
| event you ever felt that way I am about to put | | | | than by fire setting |
| things in perspective for you. We are now going to | | | | Deceitfulness or theft: |
| discuss Conduct Disorder. | | | | -has broken into someone else's house, building or car |
| Conduct Disorder is the most serious of all disruptive | | | | -often lies to obtain goods or favors or to avoid |
| behavior disorders in children and teens. This difficult | | | | work |
| condition affects between 1 to 4 percent of children | | | | -has stolen items of nontrivial value without |
| and adolescents, is more common in boys than in | | | | confronting a victim (shoplifting, forgery) |
| girls, and occurs more frequently in cities than in rural | | | | Serious violations of rules: |
| areas. There are chidren who show signs of Conduct | | | | -often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions, |
| Disorder very early in life, even before they begin to | | | | beginning before 13 years of age |
| go to school. | | | | -has run away from home overnight at least twice |
| Conduct Disorder often is viewed as a worse version | | | | without returning home for a lengthy period |
| of ODD, however there are some differences. | | | | -often skips school before age 13 |
| Oppositional Defiant Disorder children tend to have | | | | The main thing that separates ODD from conduct |
| worse social skills than children with Conduct Disorder. | | | | disorder is the issue of danger. Oppositional defiant |
| Also, ODD children may be difficult and defiant, but | | | | disorder children can be exasperating for everyone |
| they usually have no desire to deliberately harm | | | | around them. They argue, they manipulative, they |
| others. Their difficult behavior is more of a result of | | | | cause discord between parents, and they disrupt the |
| their frustration and their lack of tolerance. | | | | lives of everyone around them. But these children are |
| Children with Conduct Disorder do intentionally cause | | | | not dangerous. They do not harm others. With |
| harm to others, often for no real reason. Their | | | | conduct disorder children, safety is a major concern. |
| antisocial behavior may include vandalism and theft, | | | | They are a threat to the body and possessions of |
| and these children terrorize their community. Usually | | | | those around them. |
| by the age of ten, these children have already been | | | | Even if your child has signs of Conduct Disorder, |
| involved with illegal activities on a frequent enough | | | | there is room for optimism. It used to be thought |
| basis that they have already had contact with the | | | | that conduct disorder children were just in the early |
| police. | | | | stages of a life long path of criminal behavior. This is |
| Here is the official definition: | | | | not true for most children. |
| Conduct Disorder is a repetitive and persistent | | | | Conduct Disorder children usually have multiple |
| pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of | | | | concurrent psychiatric problems. Most commonly |
| others or major society rules are violated. | | | | these children have ADHD, but many also have |
| The diagnosis requires that at least three of the | | | | bipolar disorder, depression, learning disorders, and |
| following criteria be present in the last 12 months, | | | | anxiety disorder. These other disorders are the key |
| and at least one criterion must have been present in | | | | to treatment. |
| the last 6 months. | | | | Frequently, when you address the other problems, |
| These are: | | | | the Conduct Disorder behavior improves or goes |
| Aggression to people and animals: | | | | away. |
| -often bullies, threatens, or intimidates others | | | | This is true to such an extent, that treating |
| -often initiates physical fights | | | | concurrent disorders is the major key to breaking the |
| -has used a weapon that can cause serious physical | | | | path of a conduct disorder child to a career criminal. |
| harm to others (a bat, brick, broken bottle, knife, | | | | Therefore, if your child does have conduct disorder, |
| gun) | | | | you absolutely must find out all the other problems |
| -physically cruel to animals | | | | he has and treat them aggressively. This is another |
| -physically cruel to people | | | | reason why a good evaluation is so essential. |
| -has stolen while confronting a victim ( mugging, | | | | If you suspect your child has Conduct Disorder, you |
| purse snatching, extortion, armed robbery) | | | | should take aggressive action. This is not the type of |
| Destruction of property: | | | | condition that you want to wait around and hope |
| -has deliberately engaged in fire setting with the | | | | your child will outgrow. |