Oppositional Defiant

[redavaw1]

My 9yr old daughter exhibits Oppositional Defiant characteristics.  We are newly in counseling with a professional to help with this.   In the past the doctors have treated her as ADHD and I know sometimes these two things go together.   Is it possible that a child could be ODD and not ADHD also?   I just don't think that my daughter has an atten deficiet/hyper problem and shouldn't be treated with the typical ADHD medication.  Her problems seem to stem from an emotional or hormonal imbalance.  Shouldn't this be treated with medication for depression or anxiety?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

A child certainly can exhibit Oppositional Defiant Disorder and not display ADHD. If your daughter does not display symptoms of ADHD, she should not be treated with stimulant medication. It sometimes occurs that children with O.D.D. also display either a mood disorder or an anxiety disorder, in which case good choices for medication come from the family of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g., Celexa, Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac).

[nukett]

Just wanted to respond to the lady with the 9yr old daughter
asking about 5-HTP amino acid therapy.  My 9yr old daughter
was recently diagnosed with adhd/odd.  They gave her Adderall (adderrall),
after 3 days,took away her personality,not eating,the list goes on, so I trashed the medicine. I found Becalmed amino acid therapy.  After the first dose, I have noticed a difference and my 6yr old son has stopped grinding his teeth for the 1st time in two years. My doctor is mad at me. I don't understand why they're so willing to cover up the symtoms with addictive medication, rather than feed the brain what it needs and replace the chemicals. Just go to becalmed.com

Good Luck
Brenda

[redavaw1]

Thanks.  My daughter is 9 yrs old and only weighed 50 lbs. That is very unhealthy. Not only that, but it was causing her to be very self conscience of her weight.  She cried because her clothes would not fit.  She lost down 2-3 sizes on adderall (adderrall).  I went to a child neurologist and was able to get on a non-stimulent medication for adhd.  This caused her to have an adjustment period of bad behavior, but I think it's mainly emotional and not ADHD. I decided to finally take her to a psychiatrist to get to the bottom of the problem.  I will definately look into the site the responder noted.  
Thank you to the counselor who also responded.  Believe it or not, this is probably a very common problem with children. Many physicians are using medications for adhd symptoms without further testing.  Adderall (adderrall) is the most requested narcotic at most pharmacies....How many of you have a problem with giving your 9 year old child a narcotic.  I DO!   I finally had to do something to help my child.  Adderall (adderrall) is not the answer for every child.  

[nukett]

Does your daughter have any of these symptoms?
1) Cravings for sugar, grain and dairy
2) Hyperactivity, Hyperexcitability
3) Anger, mood swings, instant irritability, spaciness
4) Inappropriate behavior (odd noises, talking loudly)
5) Poor attention span
6) Food and Environmental Allergies
7) Canker Sores (mine all the time)
8) Recurring bladder infection
Most of these things sound like adhd, some odd (guess again
Check out -------www.ADHDrelief.com/CandidaTest.hmtl
I have to exhaust my resources before I put my daughter on
addictive medication again.

[mompy]

My son had been diagnosed with AD/OD and was unmanageable. I discovered the book, Is This Your Child? by Doris Rapp. She has several other books including Is This Your Child's World? Go to: www.drrapp.org  The basic message is that there are a whole host of behaviors and phyiscal symptoms that could be caused by food intolerances and/or environmental allergies.  Check it out!

We found through elimination diets that our son's explosive/angry behavior was caused by corn products. Removing corn from his diet has given us our son back. We also questioned bipolar disorder and depression. There is some evidence of bipolar symptoms in my husband's family. I believe now these symptoms are/were probably undiagnosed food intolerances.

It is a lot of work to change your diet. We basically eat only whole foods. It beats dosing out the paxil everyday - trust me!

[Researchmom]

My 10year old daughter just started therapy for anxiety which we feel was caused by repressing her oppositional defiant tendencies while at school.  I have just started to research this condition, but I sense that the people dealing with it at home know more than the professionals.  My daughter seems to have inherited this condition, as it has effected my father, my brother, his daughter and my daughter.  The other common factor in my family seems to be allergies.  My daughter is allergic to foods, animals and metals (touching her skin).  Do any of your children have allergies as well?  Does this run in your family?