Child Behavior Disorders

When a child displays a pattern of hostile and aggressive behavior for a period of more than 6 months, it can be termed as child behavior disorders. The behavior of your child is noticeably different from the expected behavior in the society and at home. It is very difficult to diagnose and understand child behavior disorder, since there are no physical symptoms of the disorder. Therefore the behavioral pattern of the child has to be observed consistently for a certain period of time.

Kinds of Child Behavior Disorders
There are different kinds of child behavior disorders, although these can be observed for the same person at different point of time. The kinds are:

• Conduct Disorders
• Emotional Disorders
• Emotional Disturbances
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder
• Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Conduct disorder is actually a combination of group of behavioral and emotional problems in the children. The behavior of children with conduct disorders is often not acceptable socially. These children are labeled as delinquents.

Children with oppositional defiant disorder tend to have short tempers and argue with others very quickly. Usually they display vindictive behavior and can seem to be very aggressive. Often it is very difficult to deal with such children.

Usually children who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder have repeated and persistent thoughts and this causes severe discomfort to the children themselves. The examples are, some children feel that there are monsters everywhere, or some children keep washing their hands often, etc.

The common characteristic of bipolar disorder is moody behavior of the child. The child has his own share of highs and lows. At times the child excessively indulges in pleasurable activities and at others he displays signs of lethargy, irritability, etc.

Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is when the attention span of the child is very low. These children are very often inattentive and cannot sit at a single place for a long period of time. Behavior of such children is also very impulsive, distracted and forgetful.

Symptoms of Child Behavior Disorders
If a child displays some of the below mentioned symptoms, the child can have childhood behavior disorder.

• One of the common symptoms of children behavior disorders is destruction of property. The child can resort to defacing home and school, write graffiti or vandalism, etc.
• A child with behavior disorders can be very aggressive to humans and animals alike. Some people label such a child as wicked and cruel.
• Children with children behavior disorders do not show any empathy and concern to human beings or animals. They have no feeling when others are in pain. At the same time they have no remorse if they have been unkind in their behavior towards others.
• Children with behavioral problems have disregard for rules and regulations. Very often than not they are openly defiant of the rules.
• If you notice that your child lies to you, cheats or steals things, then it is important that you monitor your child’s behavior. Such a child will also not take any responsibility towards his behavior and continue to behave as though he was doing the right thing.
• The child looks for retribution, when he thinks he was meted out unjust treatment.

Understanding Child Behavior Disorders
There are various reasons which can cause childhood behavior disorders. They are:

• Brain injury can cause a change in the child’s behavior leading to a behavioral disorder.
• Very often child abuse, physical or sexual, leads to the child suffering from behavioral disorders.
• Dysfunctional family or mental trauma of any kind can also give rise to behavioral disorder.
• Child behavior disorders can also be due to genetic disorders.

Behavior therapy and psychotherapy are normally used to treat child behavior disorders. However, it is important to diagnose the exact problem with the child. At the same time, parents also should not have unreasonable demands from their child. The emotional health of any human being is important for the person to display sane and rational behavior. So take care of your child’s emotional health, so that he displays socially acceptable behavior.