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Occupational Therapy information and referral forms Liverpool

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Occupational Therapy information and referral forms Liverpool

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Occupational therapy looks at ways we can help children with additional needs carry out key life tasks at home, school and at play.

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NHS guide to autism. Find out what autism is and what the common signs are. Get help and advice if you or your child are autistic.

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Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be categorised into 2 types of behavioural problems:

inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)

hyperactivity and impulsiveness

Many people with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this is not always the case.

For example, around 2 to 3 in 10 people with the condition have problems with concentrating and focusing, but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness.

This form of ADHD is also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADD can sometimes go unnoticed because the symptoms may be less obvious.

ADHD is more often diagnosed in boys than girls. Girls are more likely to have symptoms of inattentiveness only, and are less likely to show disruptive behaviour that makes ADHD symptoms more obvious. This means girls who have ADHD may not always be diagnosed.

Symptoms in children and teenagers

The symptoms of ADHD in children and teenagers are well defined, and they're usually noticeable before the age of 6. They occur in more than 1 situation, such as at home and at school.

Children may have symptoms of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity and impulsiveness, or they may have symptoms of just 1 of these types of behaviour.

Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)

The main signs of inattentiveness are:

having a short attention span and being easily distracted

making careless mistakes - for example, in schoolwork

appearing forgetful or losing things

being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming

appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions

constantly changing activity or task

having difficulty organising tasks

Hyperactivity and impulsiveness

The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are:

being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings

constantly fidgeting

being unable to concentrate on tasks

excessive physical movement

excessive talking

being unable to wait their turn

acting without thinking

interrupting conversations

little or no sense of danger

These symptoms can cause significant problems in a child's life, such as underachievement at school, poor social interaction with other children and adults, and problems with discipline.

Related conditions in children and teenagers with ADHD

Although not always the case, some children may also have signs of other problems or conditions alongside ADHD, such as:

anxiety disorder - which causes your child to worry and be nervous much of the time; it may also cause physical symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, sweating and dizziness

oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) - this is defined by negative and disruptive behaviour, particularly towards authority figures, such as parents and teachers

conduct disorder - this often involves a tendency towards highly antisocial behaviour, such as stealing, fighting, vandalism and harming people or animals

depression

sleep problems - finding it difficult to get to sleep at night, and having irregular sleeping patterns

autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) - this affects social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour

dyspraxia - a condition that affects physical co-ordination

epilepsy - a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated fits or seizures

Tourette's syndrome - a condition of the nervous system, characterised by a combination of involuntary noises and movements (tics)

learning difficulties - such as dyslexia

Symptoms in adults

In adults, the symptoms of ADHD are more difficult to define. This is largely due to a lack of research into adults with ADHD.

As ADHD is a developmental disorder, it's believed it cannot develop in adults without it first appearing during childhood. But symptoms of ADHD in children and teenagers often continue into adulthood.

The way in which inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness affect adults can be very different from the way they affect children.

For example, hyperactivity tends to decrease in adults, while inattentiveness tends to remain as the pressures of adult life increase.

Adult symptoms of ADHD also tend to be far more subtle than childhood symptoms.

Some specialists have suggested the following as a list of symptoms associated with ADHD in adults:

carelessness and lack of attention to detail

continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones

poor organisational skills

inability to focus or prioritise

continually losing or misplacing things

forgetfulness

restlessness and edginess

difficulty keeping quiet, and speaking out of turn

blurting out responses and often interrupting others

mood swings, irritability and a quick temper

inability to deal with stress

extreme impatience

taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of others - for example, driving dangerously

Related conditions in adults with ADHD

As with ADHD in children and teenagers, ADHD in adults can occur alongside several related problems or conditions.

One of the most common is depression. Other conditions that adults may have alongside ADHD include:

personality disorders - conditions in which an individual differs significantly from the average person in terms of how they think, perceive, feel or relate to others

bipolar disorder - a condition affecting your mood, which can swing from one extreme to another

obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) - a condition that causes obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour

The behavioural problems associated with ADHD can also cause problems such as difficulties with relationships and social interaction.

Page last reviewed: 24 December 2021
Next review due: 24 December 2024

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Symptoms

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Read about symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which are categorised into inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

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We are facilitate pre and post diagnosis training via zoom and face to face classroom sessions.

We facilitate National Autistic Society Early bird courses via zoom and face to face.

We provide email support and 1:1 zoom / telephone consultation for parents to discuss any questions or concerns they may have about their child. (no diagnosis needed to access this support)

We facilitate question & answer sessions through out schools in Liverpool (primary and secondary)

Please see attached documents for dates, times and booking information.

If you have any queries please contact the asdtrainingteam@liverpool.gov.uk

Recent feedback and comments

"I have just been on a fantastic training course were I was given invaluable advice. One of the sections was about being clear when talking to children. I come home and tell sean to take his shoes off. I 'm cooking in the kitchen and fall over Sean's shoes. I say "Sean I told you to take your shoes off!! " He replies "I did." I said " Well why arnt they by the front door? He says " oh Sorry, you never said that". Kicking myself inside now. He come back and said done. I go to check, and they are litarelly in front of the front door waiting for Paul to break his neck on them when he comes home from work.

"I was at one of the ASD workshops and I wanted to say how helpful I found it. I have more of an understanding now and I have taken ideas from the workshop and put them in place. Morning times is so much easier and less stressful now and my son enjoys following his morning schedule to get ready. I just want to say a big thank you for holding these meetings and I will be going to the others that are going to be held in my area."

"The course is so helpful for us as families and for our children"

"The tutors were very friendly and helpful, they gave me lots of new ideas and explained things very clearly and easy to understand"

" There was time in the sessions to ask questions and feedback is encouraged and everyone seems comfortable taking part."

"During the course I found the confidence to tell my son about his diagnosis."

"It's been great to discuss with other parents who have experienced the same problems"

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autism; earlybird; earlybird; autistic spectrum; disorder; aspergers; sen; disability; children; parents; family; families; advice; support; carers; behaviour; social; education; school; nursery; development;

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Liverpool ASD Training Team | Liverpool Family Information & Support Directory

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We are facilitate pre and post diagnosis training via zoom and face to face classroom sessions. We facilitate National Autistic Society Early bird courses via zoom and face to face. We provide email support and 1:1 zoom / telephone consultation for parents to discuss any questions or concerns the…

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Special Educational Needs Resources Blog

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Special Educational Needs Resources Blog

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Advice, learning activities and recommended toys, books and resources for children with SEN

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What the service offers:

Your child has been referred to the Sensory Service following a vision assessment made by a medical professional.

The following information explains how we aim to help and support your child.

Our service offers the following:

assess how the child/young person is using their functional vision in a school setting and inform planning.

offer training to school staff to ensure that the child/young person has access to the curriculum and the staff are aware of their needs.

direct teaching for some pupils with a very high level of need to acquire specialist skills such as Braille and use of specialist equipment to enable them to access the curriculum independently.

monitor progress of pupils to ensure that student's individual needs are met, in accordance with the Children and Family Act.

provide advice on the differentiation and adaptation of teaching materials.

advise on technology which can improve access to the curriculum or the environment and deliver training for its use e.g. magnification software, braille note taker.

offer a multi-agency approach to ensure an effective exchange of pupil information by meeting regularly with the Developmental Vision Team at Alder Hey.

offer mobility assessment at home and in school.

offer training by our Habilitation specialist on cane techniques, road awareness, pedestrian crossings, recognition of location, safe travel from one area to another, ability to use audible information, etc.

offer training on independent living skills.

support the child/ young person and families at transition within and between educational settings.

where needed provide direct support in the classroom with Learning Support Assistants or Braille communicator to support the learning, educational progress and inclusion of pupils

provide adapted document braille and large print depending on the needs of the child/young person.

assessment for Education Health Care Plans and for SEN support.

The Sensory Service will apply the Natsip Eligibility Framework (see link below) when deciding on the need and level of interventions. The Natsip criteria is fluid and can change according to a number of factors such as transition and change of condition.

We are in line with the vision of the "Liverpool Promise" promoting the inclusion of children and young people with Visual Impairment and the development of inclusive practices. Our aim is to improve the outcomes and opportunities for children and young people with visual impairments in keeping with the Liverpool Promise.
Useful websites:

Many visually impaired children and young people will attend either primary or secondary mainstream schools, decided by family or carers. Other children and young people who have additional needs may attend a special school which will be decided by parents and carers in partnership with the Local Authority.

The majority of visually impaired children will not have an Education Health and Care Plan. However, children with a severe vision loss or visually impaired pupils with additional needs can request your local authority to carry out an assessment if you think your child needs an EHC Plan. Those children and young people with more complex needs who attend a special school will have an Education Health and Care Plan outlining their needs and how those needs can be met.

The Sensory Service has a Parent Support Group for parents of pre-school children which meets regularly.

We are also working closely with different charities to ensure that children with a visual impairment can meet with their peers outside school times e.g. Henshaws.

The role of the Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVI) may include some or all the following:

managing referrals from health, settings and families to education with clear referral routes and eligibility criteria (Following the Natsip recommendation).

providing direct support to babies and young children with vision impairment and their parent carers in the home to support early development and learning through play and to promote parental confidence.

assessing children and young people's functional vision in liaison with health professionals

liaising with health professionals on the range of available low vision devices and how to use them

advising in mainstream and specialist early years, school and FE and HE settings on strategies for curriculum access and independent learning

teaching the specific skills that your child needs to learn because of his visual impairment. Generally these are adapted ways of doing everyday activities and methods of participating in the school curriculum, such as reading and writing in braille, using a low vision device, or independent living skills. These skills are often known as additional outcomes.

conducting various assessments of your child to determine his abilities and needs.

making referrals for additional services your child may need, such as for habilitation training (Mobility and Independent Living Skills).

meeting with family members, your child's teacher, and other members of the educational team to discuss his progress and make suggestions for strategies to make his school work accessible and to include him to the greatest extent possible in all school, classroom, and extracurricular activities

preparing or obtaining learning materials, textbooks in the appropriate accessible format for your child (such as braille, large print, audio, or electronic format).

advising on access arrangements for exams

analysing the classroom and other environments for access and safety related to a student's visual impairment, and advising other members of the team about how best to organize the classroom and materials.

providing consultation and training for teachers, teaching assistants and other school personnel on effective strategies for teaching students with visual impairments

using strategies to help develop the visual and communication skills of children and young people with additional or complex needs.

providing a birth to 25 service, including effective transition arrangements at key stages from birth through awareness raising, training, transfer of information and ensuring specialist equipment is in place in the new setting.

supporting students through transition into post 16/FE provision and into independent adulthood

The QTVI may work together in your child's regular classroom to help with the ongoing lesson, in an empty classroom, or in a designated resource room, alone or with a group of students. He or she might also meet with your child before or after school. Or, he or she might only observe your child occasionally in order to consult with the teacher about your child's progress. How often they meet depends on the services designated by your child's Learning Support Plan.

In recognition of the above skills QTVIs are required to hold a mandatory qualification (MQ), which addresses a wide range of specialist outcomes. The importance of this qualification has recently been restated by DfE in the 2015 SEND Code of Practice.

Details of the MQ are set out in a national specification which is available at
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mandatory-qualifications-specialist-teachers

For further information about RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) please visit RNIB.

For more information about VIEW (Professional Association for the Vision Impairment Education Workforce) please visit VIEW

For more information about Natsip (National Sensory Impairment Partnership) please visit Natsip

Referrals for the RQHS usually arise from the QTVI.

The primary purpose of this role is to maximise the independence and inclusion of blind and visually impaired children and young people.

Specifically this will include:

Providing assessment, advice and training for children with a sensory impairment and their families or carers.

Maximise the abilities of children and young people, providing them with the opportunity to achieve the optimal level of independence.

Work with schools to promote inclusion and increase mobility requirements through providing advice and staff training on appropriate approaches, techniques and the environment.

Provide targeted training that will maximise the child's or young person's development of mobility and independence skills.

Teach children skills to look after him/her and to carry out everyday living activities that are appropriate for their age.

Model person-centred planning across the service and with key partners, ensuring that outcomes-based assessment is evidenced in all areas of work with a clear focus on engagement with families, children and young people.

Carry out Environmental Audits of educational settings and promote best practice ensuring settings make reasonable adjustments to support the inclusion and safety of children and young people with visual needs.

Hearing impaired children and their families are supported by the Sensory Service. The Sensory Service is an education service which supports hearing impaired and visually impaired children and young people aged 0 to 25. Referrals usually come from hospital but parents and carers, schools and other agencies are also welcome to make referrals which we will then follow up.

Following referral, the service provides early intervention and support in line with the Nationally Agreed Criteria Natsip for involvement. It aims to work in partnership with parents and carers with regard to the specific challenges resulting from hearing impairment.

From diagnosis to leaving school, specialist Teachers of the Deaf and support staff work with families, schools and all other relevant agencies to ensure hearing impaired children and young people enjoy the same opportunities as their peers.

The service provides a range of support for pupils and schools (depending on the level of hearing loss) including training for school staff, advice with regard to the implications of hearing loss, one to one teaching support, support from a learning support assistant and the provision and maintenance of Radio systems for those hearing impaired pupils who meet the criteria. (Radio systems are specialist equipment which help children and young people listen better through their hearing aids in noisy environments).

The service liaises closely with a range of other agencies to deliver seamless support for children and families. It also works as part of the team around the child to provide specialist support for pupils with additional and complex needs.

Hearing impaired children and young people who need sign language to access school curriculum will be offered a place either in the Deaf Resource Base at Knotty Ash Primary School or at the Deaf Resource base at Broadgreen International Secondary School.

This is dependent on the level of hearing impairment and age of the child but after the referral, a teacher of the deaf will contact the family. If the child is very young then proposed support will be discussed at meeting with the family/carers. Any decision will be made in partnership with families and carers. We will help the family understand the implications of hearing impairment, hearing aid management, communication methods and refer to other agencies as appropriate.

If your child is already at school then support, ranging from advice about classroom management, training for schools, on going advice for school staff, provision of specialist listening equipment (Radio Aid systems) through to one to one support from a support assistant and direct teaching from a teacher of the deaf is available.

All pupils with a permanent hearing loss will be added to our caseload with intervention being in line with Natsip guidelines ( Natsip).

Most hearing impaired children and young people will attend either primary or secondary mainstream schools, decided by the family or carers. Other children and young people who have additional needs may attend a special school which will be decided by parents and carers in partnership with the local authority. Pupils with profound hearing loss who need signing support will attend the Deaf Resource Bases at Knotty Ash Primary School or Broadgreen International School.

The majority of hearing impaired children and young people will not have an Education Health and Care Plan. However children with a profound hearing loss or hearing impaired pupils with additional needs can request an Education Health and Care Plan. Those children and young people with more complex needs who attend a special school will have an Education Health and Care Plan outlining their needs and how these needs can be met. Children attending the Deaf Resource Bases will require an EHCP.

The sensory service has a Parent Support Group for parents of pre-school children which meets regularly at Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP).

Read our latest parental feedback (July 2019) and get in touch with us........
'My son gets so much out of it playing with children who are similar to him with implants and hearing aids.' 'I think it's great for children, my kids love coming here' 'The sing-a-long music session in the last hour is great' 'I love the singing, dancing and the music session' 'Everything works perfect for us and our kids here'

Liverpool Deaf Children Society (LDCS) holds regular meetings and activities

The National Deaf Childrens Society (NDCS) has weekends for families e.g. for newly diagnosed children and activity weekends for older children

Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP) holds afterschool and holiday activities

The Sensory Service works closely with the staff at the Audiology department at Alder Hey hospital to help monitor the effectiveness of hearing aids and attend regular meetings at hospital.

Specialist speech and language therapists from the Permanent Hearing Impaired Network support children and young people with severe and profound hearing losses. The teachers of the deaf work closely with these therapists to meet communication needs and promote language development. Other speech and language therapists may also support hearing impaired children and young people with speech and language difficulties.

Educational psychologists may be involved with pupils if additional difficulties are suspected.

A Teacher of the Deaf is a qualified teacher who is additionally qualified to teach hearing impaired children. Teachers of the deaf provide support to deaf children and young people from the age of 0 to 25, parents and carers and their families and schools. They will give families information for example about the implications of their child's hearing loss, support with wearing hearing aids or a cochlear implant and ways to develop language development. Teachers of the deaf deliver a range of support to hearing impaired pupils in school including training for school staff, assessment of pupils language and communication needs, direct teaching, fitting and maintaining Radio Aid systems which help hearing impaired pupils listen better in classrooms, contributing to pupil support plans and reviews in a, person centred planning approach. They also liaise closely with a range of other agencies, notably specialist speech and language therapists and staff from the audiology department at hospital.

The Service has close links with the Audiology Department at Alder Hey Children's Hospital and once parental permission has been gained by this department, the Service is informed of any new referrals meeting our service involvement criteria and/or any new hearing aid/BAHA fitting appointments.

Thereafter, the Sensory Service endeavours to provide regular follow up and on-going advisory and coaching support for the care, maintenance and management of personal amplification systems through either home visits for pre-school families or through regular nursery and/or school visits. Initially the aim of this support is to assess the benefits of optimum amplification usage and encourage consistency of usage both at home and in school but ultimately as a service we work in partnership with others to empower all our amplification users to become confident advocates for their listening needs within wider contexts.

For our personal amplification users we would encourage the viewing of the following NDCS links related to hearing aid and earmould care and maintenance:
How to change the tubing in your child's hearing aid How to look after your child's hearing aid
My Child is a Reluctant User of Hearing Aids - What Can I Do?

The Sensory Service recognizes that some pupils may decide to either reject their personal amplification systems or become reluctant users at home/school and this can be for a variety of different reasons including the impact of additional SEN factors, self-identity issues related to the pre-teen/teenager years or the child's own perceived 'negative stigma' from new peer groups/friends, usually related to cosmetic reasons of amplification visibility. Whilst the Sensory Service has robust measures in place to support amplification users through these transitional phases, we nevertheless work tirelessly with all our educational/health partners and families to work towards acceptable resolutions for the young person involved. See our information below for further details about the service we provide:
Reluctant Amplification User Info.

Contact Name

Chris Haigh

Contact Position

Operational Lead for Hearing Impairments

Telephone

E-mail

dawn.mccoll@liverpool.gov.uk

Notes

Operational Lead for Hearing Impairments
Contact: Chris Haigh

Email: chris.haigh@Liverpool.gov.uk

Tel: 0151 233 5970 or 07510 586971
Operational Lead for Visual Impairments
Contact: Yohann Lespagnol

Email: yohann.lespagnol@liverpool.gov.uk

Tel: 0151 233 5970 or 07860 277632

Sensory Service Email address: sensoryservice@liverpool.gov.uk

Referral Details

Referrals usually come from hospital but parents and carers, schools and other agencies are also welcome to make referrals which we will then follow up.

Local Offer Age Bands

Young Adults (16 to 25)
Primary (5 to 11)
Secondary (11 to 16)
Early Years (0 to 5)

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visually impaired blind hearing braille sight

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'The Sensory Service provides support for those with either a Vision Impairment or a Hearing Impairment and their families. The Sensory Service is an Educational Service which support hearing impaired and visually impaired children and young people aged 0 to 25.

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Resources and information to support dyslexia

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Improve Your Spelling, the latest book written by Nessy founder Mike Jones, explains the rules of reading and spelling. It will help teachers teach, and parents to understand how to help their children.

By the end, you'll be a master speller!

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You've found Nessy; World leader in helping children who learn differently. Founded and run by educators and dyslexia specialists, our award-winning programs are guided by the Science of Reading.

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HOME EDUCATION GUIDE FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN

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HOME EDUCATION GUIDE FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN

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Sarah-Jane Critchley shares her experience of home educating and what to consider before deciding to home educate

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Before letters, numbers or pictures come simple marks. Mark-making is a great start to writing and art. Marks are how children learn to express themselves and portray the world around them.

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Good communication is essential for learning. As well as being the foundation for reading and writing, it’s also vital for children’s social and emotional development

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An overview of resources, solutions and considerations for learners studying from home or isolation. This covers how to get support for Assistive Technology, digital resources available and include users of complex AT such as AAC devices.

This webinar focuses on learners with less complex needs, focusing on online platforms, digital resources available and much more. It includes built in accessibility or literacy support tools / Office, Google, iOS learning tools etc.

A brief outline of "Flipped Learning" and discusses the impact this can have on learners with diverse needs, allowing them to access resources through technology and partake in differentiated activities.

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EdTech Demonstrator Programme - Special Educational Needs

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An overview of resources, solutions and considerations for learners studying from home or isolation. This covers how to get support for Assistive Technology, digital resources available and include users of complex AT such as AAC devices. This webinar focuses on learners with less complex needs, focusing on online platforms, digital resources available and much more.

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The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity is an integrated health and education service offering a unique lifespan – strength based service, for the 1 in 5 people who live with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia and Tourette’s syndrome.

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The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity - an integrated health and education service.

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PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is widely understood to be a profile on the autism spectrum, though we are still at an early stage in our understanding and PDA research is in its infancy. This site will help you learn more.

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Resources to help you support children with oppositional defiant disorder

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If your child has been diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) you may be at a loss as to where to begin. It can be daunting to wade through information to find what is worth reading and what is a waste of your time. Let's begin with some basic information along with resources for learning more, addressing specific behaviors, and getting support so you can best help your child with ODD.

ODD is a mental health disorder in which a child demonstrates aggression and purposeful misbehavior. Thought to affect roughly 10 to 20% of school-age children, this behavior disorder is more common in boys than in girls.﻿﻿ When thinking about these behaviors, it's important to realize that many children without ODD exhibit some of these behaviors from time to time.

So what are normal behavior problems and what are not?

Symptoms of ODD in contrast to normal child behaviors may include:﻿﻿

Being easily annoyed or provoked

Excessive arguing with parents and other authority figures

Frequent angry outbursts

Frustration and lack of concentration for the child, along with a reduced self-esteem and difficulty forming and keeping friendships

Lying and blaming others for mistakes

Purposefully irritating and annoying others and intentionally causing conflict

Questioning authority

Refusal to follow rules

Seeming to lack a conscience

Vindictiveness, being spiteful of others

These symptoms can vary from mild to severe, but usually, arise during the preschool years and almost always before puberty. The behaviors often create significant dysfunction at both homes and in the school setting. Fortunately, while these behaviors can cause havoc for parents and teachers, around two-thirds of children out-grow their disorder in their late teens.﻿﻿

It's not known exactly what causes ODD but is most likely a combination of factors. Genetics can play a role and may increase susceptibility to the disorder. Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters in the brain may play a biochemical role. While ODD can develop in children from loving and stable families, it's not uncommon for these children to have had a dysfunctional home life and/or exposure to violence.﻿﻿

ODD may occur along with other conditions, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and language disorders.﻿﻿ Sometimes it takes some time to distinguish between ODD and other common behavioral disorders in children such as ADD/ADHD and conduct disorder.

What to Do After an ODD Diagnosis

When your child is first diagnosed with ODD, it's helpful to learn as much as you can about the disorder. Not only will this help you learn methods for coping with the behaviors, but it can be reassuring to learn that the majority of children outgrow the disorder. Knowing this alone may give you more strength to cope with difficult behaviors today.

Parenting programs can be extremely helpful in getting you up-to-date on how to parent a child with ODD quickly. Some of these include:

Depending on who diagnosed your child, you may also need to find a therapist who can walk beside you as you learn tools for managing your child's behavior. Therapy has been found to work well for children with ODD and also reduces the chance that ODD will progress to conduct disorder later in childhood or antisocial personality disorder as an adult.﻿﻿

You can ask your doctor or therapist if she knows of anyone who specializes in treating children with ODD or ask in one of the online support communities. Parents who have been living with a child with ODD have often learned by trial and error and may offer you valuable tips in finding the right person. Most commonly, it will be a child or adolescent psychiatrist who cares for a child with ODD.

Don't be afraid to interview different providers. It's important that you find an ally who can support you in helping your child.

How to Prepare Your Child's School

If your child is in school, it's important to meet with your child's teacher or others at the school who will be involved in his education. Combining a school-based program with positive parenting at home is most effective.

Special education services can provide support and accommodations for your child. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law which mandates that children with disabilities be provided with services to allow him to function in the school setting.﻿﻿ This usually requires that the disorder impairs his academic performance. You can request an evaluation for your child at any time.

If your child does not qualify for IDEA (usually under the "other health impaired" category) he may still qualify for an individual accommodation plan under Section 504.﻿﻿ You may also wish to contact your school district, State Department of Education, or your state Parent Training and Information Center.

Disciplining an ODD Child

You may have read everything you can get your hands on, but how do you discipline a child with ODD? Having a child with ODD can grate on your nerves, but despite ample opportunities to give negative attention, finding opportunities to give positive attention can really help. Even though negative consequences will likely be needed at times, positive attention is often more effective.﻿﻿

Thankfully, these "positive" consequences seem to make negative consequences more effective when needed. Avoiding harsh punishment and focusing on behaviors rather than the child is also helpful. The programs listed above provide many examples for working with a child with ODD.

Treatment Options for ODD

As noted above, therapy is often very effective for children with ODD and may prevent the condition from progressing to conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder.

Of note, there are not any specific medications recommended for ODD, and medications alone should not be used to treat the condition. Medications may be helpful, however, in controlling some of the behaviors or for coexisting mental health conditions.

Living With an ODD Child

Living with a child with ODD can leave you on the edge and frustrated. It can be challenging to back up and view the behaviors as separate from your child and to stay calm. Here are a few tips that have helped other parents cope with the day-to-day challenges of living with a child with ODD.﻿﻿

Avoid power struggles.

Don't sweat the small stuff. It might be best to ignore minor behavioral
problems until you get the major problems controlled. Said in another
way, "pick your battles."

Establish clear household rules.

Give your child plenty of time for imaginative play.

Limit the number of questions you ask your child.

Offer clear consequences, and be aware that consequences are not the same as punishment.

Praise your child often.

Provide positive feedback often, even if your child responds in a positive way on a minor issue. Reinforcing the behavior with positive attention may reduce the amount of negative attention their behavior requires.

Schedule daily doses of one-on-one time.

"Walk the walk:" Model positive behaviors for your children to observe.

Getting Professional Help

Even if you follow all of the tips above for parenting a child with ODD, you may still feel overwhelmed. Take a moment to think about when you should seek help for your child's behavior problems.

If your child's behavior problems aren't changing when you incorporate discipline strategies, if their behavior is interfering with school or their social life, or if their behavior is not age-appropriate, it's likely time to seek help.﻿﻿

Helpful ODD Resources for Parents

There are lots of resources available to help parents manage their child's ODD. Here are some places to start looking.

Websites that offer ideas for parents who have a child with ODD include:

DocSpeak offers further information which directly pertains to parents of children living with ODD.

Lives in the Balance is another site which helps assist children in collaborative problem-solving.

Transforming the Difficult Child is designed to help children manage their intensity in different ways.

ODD is usually diagnosed in the preschool years or shortly thereafter, and for many children resolves by the age of 18.﻿﻿ That said, combining "normal" teen issues with the management of ODD can be a challenge. The following site focuses on difficult behavior in teens, including ODD:

There are a few reference sites which provide good overviews of ODD diagnosis and treatment. The sites mentioned here have information provided by those educated in managing children with ODD and are updated frequently. Reliable references sites include:

As noted earlier, ODD often co-exists with other disorders such as ADD. At times, the management of ODD is similar to that of ADD, but other times it's important to distinguish between the two diagnoses. These sites focused on ADD may offer assistance when your child has ODD as a co-existing condition.

In addition to websites, podcasts, and Youtube videos, there are entire books devoted to helping parents cope with and care for a child with ODD. Books which may be helpful include:

The Defiant Child, by Douglas Riley (published in 1997 but still very up-to-date)

The Explosive Child, by Ross W. Greene

The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child, by Alan E. Kazdin

Support for Parents

Having the opportunity to talk with other parents living with a child with ODD can be priceless. No matter how thoughtful and understanding your family and friends, there is something special about talking with others who are facing the same challenges.

In addition to emotional support, online support communities can help you learn about the latest findings and approaches to managing ODD. After all, there is nobody more motivated to understand day-to-day life for a child with ODD more than other parents.

Online support groups allow you to get understanding and advice from other parents around the world. There are a number of other online groups as well as Facebook groups designed to connect parents who are living with a child who has ODD.

A Word From Verywell

Learning that your child has ODD can release a mass of mixed emotions. You may be relieved to finally have a label for your child's behavior but at the same time fear what this means for the future.

As parents, the diagnosis can also make you question your own parenting skills. Yet a sense of guilt and shaming is counterproductive to learning how to meet your child's needs. There are many children raised in warm and loving family environments who nonetheless suffer from ODD.

Once you have a diagnosis you can finally begin to address the behaviors. Talk to your doctor. Find a good child or adolescent psychiatrist. Become involved in support groups. Rest just a bit in the realization that the majority of children "outgrow" these behaviors. That said, therapy can go a long way in reducing the chance your child's behaviors will persist.

Explore the tips above, and use the resources and links provided to educate and empower yourself as a parent of a child with ODD.

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Resources for Parents of Kids With Oppositional Defiant Disorder

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There are many options if you're searching for ODD support groups near you. Try these resources for information to support kids with oppositional defiant disorder.

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Although dyspraxia may be diagnosed at any stage of life, increasing numbers of children are identified as having the condition. This site will help you understand dyspraxia better.

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Supporting individuals and families affected by dyspraxia/DCD

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Olaf is a three-year-old fox red Labrador therapist and a published author. He was invited to speak at the Cheltenham Literature Festival 2023. Olaf is a family pet registered with the Pets As Therapy (PAT) Charity. His job is to make people smile when, with his human mum (a specialist teacher and mindfulness coach), he visits hospitals and schools.

Every Thursday morning, Olaf goes to Battledown Special School. He enjoys his visits so much that he set his second book there! Team Olaf to the Rescue is a heartwarming story about his classroom adventures (it very cleverly rhymes!). With help from his merry band of canine mates, Olaf saves the school's Christmas celebrations and gives the children a party they will never forget. All the dogs in Team Olaf are Olaf's real friends whom he sees every day on his walks. They all play a vital role in the story, showing kindness, creativity, and bravery. Fun activities are added to stimulate the reader's imagination and memory.

Battledown School uses Makaton as part of their teaching and learning, so we included their symbols in the book to enable more of Olaf's human friends to enjoy it. We were delighted Makaton wanted to be involved in our project and are grateful to the Team for their expertise and patience. They provided symbols for the concepts/story words and explained where to place them on the page, so that the story makes sense to the Makaton reader.

Olaf's first book, Mr. Olaf the Therapist, is a mindfulness scrapbook, diarying his experiences in a mainstream school and his work in the NHS. As a PAT dog, Olaf visits Cheltenham General Hospital where he is a valued member of the Knightsbridge (Gastric) and Critical Care Teams. He has been doing this for over two years but is still banned from the staff rooms because of the doughnuts... It is a privilege and humbling to be welcomed so warmly by patients, their families, and Olaf's NHS colleagues. Olaf also shares his lifestyle wisdom with self-care activities and mindfulness questions to help us reflect on our own work/life balance.

Olaf gives all the proceeds from his books to the Pets as Therapy charity. He attends promotional PAT events e.g., Crufts and Goodwuff.

For more information about PAT and/or to buy Olaf's books, please visit Pets as Therapy.

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Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation

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Centre 56 is a domestic abuse charity in the heart of North Liverpool.

We put the children first. We provide childcare, information and support for families and children who have suffered, or are at risk of domestic abuse or a crisis situation.

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We are a small team of staff, volunteers and a Board of Trustees whose dedication and passion ensures that Centre 56 continues to support those who need it most.

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The Life Rooms provide a safe and welcoming space to meet others, access opportunities and learn about community resources.

At The Life Rooms we will work with you on whatever your next steps are, and we will always assume it's possible!

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Self-isolation, social distancing and shielding have been introduced by the Government to help you and your loved ones stay safe from COVID-19. Find out what they mean in practice and what applies to you.

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. If you're concerned about your child's speech and language development, we can help.

We know that it can be hard to know where to start if you are worried about your child's development. If you think your child is having challenges with talking and understanding words, we are here to help you.

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We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. Access our free resources and learn more about ways to encourage children's speech and language development.