We've had difficulties with our older son for ever. He's 11 and has been extremely defiant, oppositional, touchy, since he was about three. I've been looking up Oppositional Defiant Disorder on the internet and it seems to match him with aamzing accuracy (though he is only challenging at home: with all other adults he is exremely shy, and his behaviour at school is absolutely fine -- this suggests our own behaviour as parents is probably partly to blame).
Does anyone have any advice for coping. I'd like to work on giving him coping strategies, building his self-confidence, and calming myself and my husband down (as well as on protecting my younger son from all the tension that's been generated).
Trouble is, my older son seems to be deliberately blind to the fact that his behaviour is difficult. He always blames Mum, Dad, brother -- though in calmer moments he struggles towards self-understanding.
One aspect of it that makes me really sad is that I think he is also depressed and his self-esteem is low, although he is a great kid and popular with his (smallish) circle of friends.
He is very bright (yes, I know all mums say that, but his performance at school is really good) and I'd like to show him some info about ODD to help build his self-understanding (and give him some of the emotional relief we all get when we find a name for a problem). Can anyone recommend a website or book that would give an account of ODD suitable for a child to look at?
Many thanks for any help.
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Possible Oppositional Defiant Disorder in my 11 year old son
16 replies
MuddlingThrough · 14/06/2007 11:57
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sarah293 ·
14/06/2007 12:03
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sarah293 ·
14/06/2007 19:39
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