Early Onset Childhood Conduct Disorders

Identifying early onset conduct disorders in children can be difficult. For many of us parents there is a fine line between a behavioral problem and a simple childhood phase. Identifying a conduct disorder early can save your child from more disorders in adulthood. Once we understand the issue, identify the causes, and seek treatment, the entire family can find peace again. Conduct disorders can start as early as 5 years old, though they begin more often in adolescents. An early onset of the disorder (before the age of 10) is more likely to create adult conduct issues and anti-social behavior.

After our family moved several times, my husband was severely injured at work (now always home), and I began suffering from 2 major illnesses my daughter changed. She would respond or interact in dramatic ways. She would get angry and blaming without cause. She would refuse to sleep, fight over food, and generally test every level of my emotions. Her emotional reactions were either totally misplaced or shockingly dramatic. Since the conduct only flared at home or towards me and her father, I took it personally and was distraught. Once I identified the problem, I began to treat the conduct issue at home. With a new dedication to her,and an arsenal of resources, we were able to relearn emotional cues and how to respond to them.

One identifying behavior in a conduct disorder is aggression. Your child may bully or intimidate others, even smaller siblings or pets. The child may use dangerous objects when fighting or threatening, such as rocks or large heavy toys. Your child may break or destroy other people's property without provocation. The child may be severely cruel to animals.

Coinciding with the aggressive behavior, a child with a conduct disorder will show consistent defiance. They may refuse to follow family rules. They may fight themselves to exhaustion, just to defy their bedtime. They may refuse to adhere to curfews. They may steal property. A severe form of deviance can result in their running away, or threatening to run away weekly.

When stealing from others a child with behavior issues may break into their property. Your child may have been caught in someone else's school locker or grandmas' wallet. The child may shoplift. You may find that the items they destroy or steal were not something they even desired.

Some children may behave inappropriately in public situations. This display of behavior will be a deliberate attempt to upset the parent by causing embarrassment, anger, or frustration. A child with conduct disorder will test a parent to a deeper level than one without.

What Causes Conduct Disorders?

There are many biological and environmental factors linked to childhood conduct disorders. One biological influence comes from your children's born temperament. How they respond to emotional stimuli is an important indicator of temperament. Children with more aggressive temperaments are more likely to develop a conduct disorder. Children with childhood onsets have been found to misunderstand social cues.

A child's risk of developing a conduct disorder is increased if a parent has had the disorder as well. In Addition, a child whose parents suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, or mental disorders have a higher risk for behavioral problems.

Medical illnesses can trigger childhood conduct disorders. Cluster headaches, depression, hyperactivity, and thyroid issues are a few of the possible medical causes for your child's behaviors.

Family life and changes in them can greatly affect the onset of a childhood conduct disorder. Divorce, moving homes, changing schools, or a death in the family can trigger the behavior problem.

Life stressors that effect adults affect children too, despite how hard we may try to shelter them. Unemployment, financial issues, illness, or marital problems can onset conduct changes.

What Can You Do For A Childhood Disorder?

Once a conduct disorder is identified, a child should be sent for medical treatment. A therapist trained in early childhood behavior should be seen. Your health carrier, under behavioral health coverage, may cover the treatment for your child. Depending on the conduct disorder type, and any underlying medical issues, a doctor may prescribe medication for your child. Just be sure to research the drug before deciding to administer.

The child needs to learn and understand appropriate reactions to social cues. They also need to learn how to deal with their own feelings of anger or sadness. They must be given permission to feel, but most know how to express those feeling.

Find an outlet for your child. Involving a child in sports, music, or art could help them express and deal with emotional issues. Teach your child to journal their feelings. Depending on their age, they can write or draw out how they are feeling everyday.

Conduct disorders are very common among children in the U.S. This disorder not only affects the individual, but his or her family and surrounding environment. Consistent treatment and home care can allow our child to become a happy health adult.

Join me and other parents for online support.
Log onto The American Academy Of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry for conduct disorder resources.