Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Research has shown that far too many children have been given diagnoses and treatment for disorders such as bipolar that haven’t meet their true needs. The results of this have been children suffering from a then unknown disorder and receiving treatment that hasn’t helped them or their families to cope and rise above the symptoms of DMDD.
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder has been introduced to address the concern of a child’s inability to cope resulting in temper outbursts occurring on an average of three or more times per week. These outbursts are described as verbal rages, completely out of proportion in intensity or duration to the given situation or circumstance, and as inappropriate to their developmental level. In addition to temper outbursts, the child’s overall mood is seen as irritable or angry on most days and in most settings.
The main symptom of being irritable and the resulting behaviors are difficult for parents, teachers, caregivers, and children alike to manage day in and day out. As a result, relationships with family members, caregivers, and peers are normally strained. Doing well in school is also seen as a challenge. Getting help and using the right interventions will work to ease this difficult time.
Treatment and tips
It is normal and expected for children and adults to feel irritable and angry from time to time. When our children are feeling this way, we should strive to teach them how to cope with their feelings in order to make positive choices.
1. When feeling upset yourself, make positive choices that show your children and others how to cope with difficult situations. Your children learn most of what they know from you. Make their developmental years of learning as promising as possible!
2. Keep in touch with your child’s doctor and with a mental health therapist. These two professionals are the best people to have on your team. Working with people who come from a medical background and a behavioral background is what will benefit your child and family the most. Getting help for your child is critical.
3. Be proactive by establishing consequences before problems occur. This allows your child to have a greater understanding of what the outcome will be of their actions. Providing your child with this information gives them a chance and a choice (two very important ways to empower your child) when making their own decisions. After all, your child is in charge of their own actions. Just be sure to implement positive and negative consequences consistently.
4. Regularly work with your child’s teacher(s) on a plan to manage irritability and outbursts in school. Allow school staff and your mental health provider to speak together about their observations and how the interventions are working.
5. Regularly catch your child using positive behavior and tell them what specifically makes you proud.
6. Encourage your child to participate in daily physical activity. This helps to work through strong emotions and can help the brain improve its processing and problem-solving abilities.
7. Regularly encourage your child to focus their energy on taking control of themselves. Empowering children to make choices to achieve what they want in life is extremely valuable. With this skill they can move beyond just focusing on consequences linked to their behavior to considering the outcomes that they are choosing based on their actions and decisions.
Further strategies are within reach!
The Building Blocks of Positive Parenting is our exclusive book that contains a wealth of interventions for disruptive mood dysregulation disorder and other common childhood disorders and behavioral concerns.
You will also find that it is packed with guidance to help you achieve a solid and positive parenting foundation in your home!
The best part of this awesome book is that you don’t have to read the entire thing! You get to pick and choose what sections your family could benefit from the most. With all of the practical ideas, reproducible behavior systems, and time tested advice; it truly is the easiest to use resource manual available to parents today. ~Now that sounds like what parents can use as we juggle life’s many tasks!