Early assessment gives children the best chance to learn, connect and thrive. These pages are written for parents and teachers.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Is every instruction a fight? Does your child lose their temper often, argue back and deliberately annoy others — much more than other children their age? Oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of angry, defiant behaviour lasting 6 months or more (ICD-11 6C90).
How common is it?
About 3 in 100 children, more often boys.
Who is at higher risk?
- Children with ADHD
- Harsh or inconsistent discipline
- Parental conflict or stress
- Difficult temperament
Signs & symptoms
Frequent temper outbursts, arguing with adults, refusing rules, blaming others, being easily annoyed, spiteful behaviour.
What causes it?
Temperament and genes, ADHD, and a cycle of negative interactions between parent and child.
How to know if your child is struggling — you may relate if…
- I'm exhausted from shouting, and nothing works.
How Mind Detox Centre helps
Parent management training, anger-management and problem-solving skills for the child, family therapy and school coordination.
Conduct Disorder
Is your child repeatedly fighting, bullying, lying, stealing, damaging property or running away? Conduct disorder is a persistent pattern of breaking rules and violating others' rights (ICD-11 6C91).
How common is it?
About 2–10 in 100 children and teens (around 4 on average), more often boys.
Who is at higher risk?
- ADHD
- Harsh or neglectful parenting
- Violence at home
- Negative peer groups
- Poverty and social stress
Signs & symptoms
Aggression, cruelty to people or animals, lying, stealing, fire-setting, truancy, running away.
What causes it?
A mix of temperament, genetics, ADHD and family and social environment.
How to know if your child is struggling — you may relate if…
- School has called us again about fighting.
How Mind Detox Centre helps
Parent training, CBT-based anger and problem-solving skills, empathy and social-skills training, family therapy and school liaison. Early help prevents problems in adulthood.
Frequently asked questions
Is my child just naughty, or is it a disorder?
If difficult behaviour is much more than peers, lasts 6 months or more and affects home and school, an assessment helps.
Will therapy for my child involve me?
Yes. Parents are central to child therapy; many strategies work best at home.
Can children really get depressed?
Yes. In children and teens it often shows as irritability, anger and withdrawal.