Condition is Often Confused with Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Autism
When a child is irritable most of the time and has blowout tantrums several times a week at an age past when most kids have outgrown tantruming, it could be a sign that they have disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). A new article from the Child Mind Institute describes how kids with this disorder have immense feelings that they find difficult to control, and often misread faces which leads them to believe that people are mad at them mistakenly. Sometimes DMDD is confused with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or autism since tantrums occur in all three conditions. But ODD tantrums are associated with a problem with authority (e.g., parents and teachers), and tantrums due to autism are linked to sensory overload. Two types of therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)and Mood Masters, currently treat DMDD. Both treatments teach kids how to deal with their overwhelming emotions to let them pass without becoming out of control. These therapies also train parents on how to help their children rein in their behavior before it escalates. DBT and Mood Masters have provided relief to exhausted and frustrated parents dealing with DMDD. The Child Mind Institute also reports that if therapy does not work on its own, clinicians can add medication to help. Generally, doctors prefer to try antidepressants first since they have fewer side effects than anti-psychotics like Risperdal, which can have serious consequences.
