Dealing with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or ODD, can be difficult and stressful on any family. The negative behaviors associated with with ODD include lack of respect for rules, tantrums, pushing limits and purposefully irritating others. Needless to say that a child with oppositional defiant disorder can put a strain in all relationships in the home, including a marriage. When parents are at their wits’ end with a defiant child, they often ask, “what is the most effective oppositional defiant disorder treatment?” Like many other behavioral issues, ODD is often treated through counseling focused on raising the child’s self esteem. This might sound great in theory, but the problem is in its efficacy. I will agree that it sounds logical that a child with a healthy self esteem will not have the need to act out. Sadly, either this is not true, or counseling is unable to raise the self esteem of children with ODD. Regardless, self esteem based counseling is not an effective oppositional defiant disorder treatment.

Ritalin, or another similar prescription drug, is another often recommended oppositional defiant disorder treatment. Even if it is true that they are effective on some children, many parents are (in my opinion rightly) reluctant to use these types of drugs on their children. These drugs often have side effects including lack of appetite, trouble sleeping, and headaches.

According to most experts, the most effective form of oppositional defiant disorder treatment is parental training. Parental training involves parents learning to relate to the child, in a new and more positive way with the goal of extinguishing the child’s negative behaviors. Change the parents, to change the child? Research shows that many children with ODD, often because they are more difficult to deal with than a typical child, have had years of negative interactions with their parents and other authority figures. These children often crave attention, even negative attention, so parents are unwittingly reinforcing the negative behaviors with the negative attention that the child receives.

Parental training is very effective with many children with ODD, but as with anything else the trainee is only as good as the trainer. Often parents, with the best of intentions, sign up for parenting classes made to teach normal parenting strategies, or purchase the latest parenting book, which was not designed as an oppositional defiant disorder treatment. This simply does not work.

To be successful, and I measure success by the ability to extinguish the negative behaviors, a parental training program needs to be designed specifically as an oppositional defiant disorder treatment. When looking for a program, make sure that it is designed with children with ODD in mind. Another helpful tool in many oppositional defiant disorder treatments is a step-by-step guide. While many “programs” are nothing more than a book that talks about ODD and gives general suggestions on how to handle situations, the most effective programs offer guides that are easy to follow and strategies that you can implement with your child, within your family.

Most importantly, because any good parental training program is going to carry a hefty price tag, look for the oppositional defiant disorder treatment program to offer some form of guarantee. Most of the reputable oppositional defiant disorder treatment programs offer either a free trial or a certain number of days within which you can return the program. This is important because children are individuals. A program may be a great oppositional defiant disorder treatment, but may not work for your child. Look for a guarantee or a trial so that if it does not work, you can look for another program that does.

There are many options as you look for ways to improve your child’s behavior. Find what works for you and your family and stick with it. No matter what you choose, it will not be easy. However, if it is successful it will change your child’s life forever, and that makes it worth it.

Author Bio: Fred Crier is an elementary school teacher and the father of two boys. He runs a website reviewing parenting products called isawitontv-reviews.com. To read more on oppositional defiant disorder treatment, visit his site.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: Oppositioanl Defiant Disorder Treatment, ODD Treatment, ODD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder