First-hand experience of ODD anyone?

[EndangeredSpecies]

I am beginning to think DS (5.11) has a problem that goes beyond normal childhood defiance. His behaviour is atrocious and is ruining family life. We can't go for walks, bike rides etc. because he just won't listen and is completely unpredictable.

I am very wary of labels and syndromes in general but can't help feeling there is something not quite right here.
He's always been challenging but is now becoming unmanageable.He has no sense of danger and still runs across car parks, rides his bike dangerously and won't listen when you tell him no. Even after being removed from the situation, having bike taken away etc. he seems not to care, it's like talking to a brick wall. Won't do anything, even the simplest of things, without a battle.
I've made every effort to be consistent and firm with him but he simply will not do as he is told and is becoming extremely rude.
But this morning he slapped me hard across the back after being asked (nicely) to get dressed.
I can't "ignore" these behaviours any more than I do already.
But having raised my concerns at school the teachers say none of this defiance is manifesting itself there, he has lots of potential and is very creative. At most he refuses to join in something that doesn't interest him.

For those of you with "ODD" diagnosis has it helped at all? Do you have any coping strategies? Where I live (not in UK) they've never heard of it.

Try posting this on the 'Special Needs: Children section'. His behaviour would need to be present in more than one setting to warrant a diagnosis (only experience of ADHD with my ds2). I think if you feel his traits are beyond typical, you could pop along to your GP and ask for a referral to a developmental pediatrician, but if he's not behaving same way in the school environment, you may have to persuade them he needs to be assessed. They could initially suggest parenting classes ... a bit of an insult to be honest.

We've had similar problems with our dd for the last 8+ years - she is now 13. She has quite similar behaviour patterns to ODD, but recently I found a link to PDA which is closer to her behaviour.

Is there an autism site for your country? Where we live there is an autism site that then guides you to regional centres for assessment and more local ones for support. Both ODD and PDA are considered with the range of autistic disorders (according to the UK site).

She has already threatened to kill dh (9), bite my nipples off (7/8), pinched so hard we've had bruises the size of a tennis ball (9), and been admitted to hospital due to her levels of anxiety, and at the moment I have the interior ligaments in both knees torn, when attempting to be assertive with her, so she pushed me harder and 'floored' me - literally. She's now 5-7cm taller than me, weighs about 100kg (refuses to accept limits about food), and when she has a strop, she has as much control as a 2-year old going ballistic, ie none. However, she never behaves like that at school, so Camhs in the UK insisted it was a parenting problem, and their equivalent here now say it's an adolescent problem. Grrrrrrrrr.

I found the UK site with the comparisons of odd and pda very interesting and helpful. This site may be helpful - here

Wishing you all the best - it's fun dealing with social workers and psychologists in a foreign language! Bon courage

I do not have an ODD diagnosis. Although it was suggested to me by first paed I saw. And when I read the sheet of description, I was saddened to admit he fitted it perfectly. But it does 'seem' to be considered the poor mans relation. considered to be a behavioural thing. rather than an autistic thing like aspergers, which he is now being tested for. as if to imply that ODD was my parenting fault, but AS, was part of his brain, thus I was not responsible. or thats how it 'has' been suggested, to me !!
Agree, get this moved to Sn section.
And get yourself to a paed or camhs (or your equivalent. where are you ?)to get him properly assessed. atleast your'll know exactly what you are dealing with, if anyhting.