News

13th April 2004

My child's not naughty, he's ODD

American scientists claim that bad behaviour in children is actually a medical problem and have even given it a name. Oppositional Defiant Disorder, also known as ODD, is the latest medical term taking the States by storm.

The condition is classed as a Mental Health issue and affects mainly children up to the age of 10. It has many disruptive symptoms including defiance, disobedience and arguing. Some ODD children are said to "consistently blame others for their own misbehaviour".

It is estimated that 6 per cent of American children suffer from ODD but psychologists in the UK claim that giving medical terms to behavioural problems is only allowing parents to shift their responsibility and freeing youngsters to run riot.

Dr Gareth Vincenti, a consultant psychiatrist and Medical Director of the Harrogate Clinic, which specialises in Mental Health, says "You're medicalising behaviour by saying, 'Oh, you've got a condition', then straightaway it is not the child's fault or the parents' fault."

He also added, "Failing schools very often have failing discipline policies. Rather than blame the lack of discipline, teachers and governors will blame these medical conditions."

The exact number of children suffering with ODD is hard to predict because the symptoms can be associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD) and other 'conduct disorders'. However, in the UK, a study for the National Office of Statistics suggests that 3-4 per cent of children suffer from some sort of conduct disorder, the majority of which are boys.

ODD is one of nearly 300 accepted mental health disorders used to explain bad behaviour, most of which have been identified by American scientists. However, one London based child psychiatrist said, "ODD is being used to describe some children who not so long ago would have been called very naughty."

Michele Elliott, the director of the child welfare charity Kidscape, said "Other parents are getting fed up with sending their well-behaved children to school only for them to have their lessons disrupted by children who are not properly disciplined.

"I do not believe that we should be excusing bad behaviour with medical terms. What we need is a situation where children face consequences for their actions and good parenting skills."

• So, is it ODD or just more hype? Tell us all about it in Your Shout
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