Stephanie
I have a 9 yr old son who was diagnosed ODD at age 3. I have resisted putting him on meds. My husb wants to put him on meds. I know I need to do something bec the last yr its getting worse. He is very defiant, angry, disrespectful to me and my husband. If he is asked to do something, asked to go someplace with us (even a fun family outing) there is always a scene created. He yells, refuses to go, has to be forced to go with us or we arrange for him to go to a friend's for the afternoon. It's goten to a point where whenever I need to tell him to do something (no matter how sweetly I say it, how politely) there is an argument, angry response. He threatens to runaway frequently. He is my middle child, and his brothers are not like this. I have blamed myself for having his brother too close in age (the psychiatrist who diagnosed him ODD at age 3 said this caused it, this and genetics tho I don't know anyone who had ODD in either families). I love this kid so much, yet I feel like I can't reach him. Does any of this sound familiar to you? The anger, the defiance, the disrespect, the rebellion.....My husband just orders him to do stuff and then they actually get into verbal arguments. We were both "good" kids when we were younger, and his behavior baffles us. And as for school, his teacher does see the anger when asked to do things he doesn't want to do, but this teacher is very tough and genuinely likes my son, so there is no real problem. This year......He is pullng straight A's and is very smart. His teacher was actually baffled by the stuff I told him my son says to me and my husband. I feel like such a failure as a mother. I will seek another opinion and I reluctantly will put him on meds, tho I am afraid he will appear sedated or something. What causes this? DO you know? Thanks for listening.....Nobody in our family knows about it, they just think he needs "a good stiff spanking".....