Meet the “bad brother” of ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is very well known in the Western world, and according to estimates, about ten percent of children and teenagers suffer from it. Less is known about the “bad” sibling of ADHD.Meet the rebellious oppositional disorder – ODD. This is a behavioral disorder that manifests in the child in frequent tantrums and anger, excessive arguments with adults, refusal to obey rules, contempt and rebellion against laws, malicious attitude, resentment and desire for revenge on others.

The children often explain their behavior as a response to unreasonable requests from those around them. This disorder is not recognized enough, and therefore many of these children are wrongly diagnosed as suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and receive drugs such as Ritalin or Concerta.

Although some of these children also suffer from attention deficit disorder, the main treatment is cognitive-behavioral with a child psychologist. The main message is the great importance of identifying the disorder and starting treatment on time.

Children who are not diagnosed correctly and are not treated, may deteriorate into mental disorders, entanglements with the law, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse. Therefore, if your child or student is angry, easily irritated, argues, revenges, bullies and often blames others for his mistakes, it is probably not just ADHD.