Sometimes, a child can hit a road block during their teen years. Parents can easily blame themselves, wondering where they went wrong. They may take their child to weekly therapy, or follow the advice of guidance counselors at school, yet still the same problem can remerge again and again. Parents that have children diagnosed with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder may feel that they are out of options and have nowhere to turn. For parents who are unfamiliar or are new to the diagnosis, let’s take a look at some of the signs and symptoms, and how Rites of Passage can help.
Every child has temper tantrums and outbursts – it’s a fact of life. A child with DMDD, however, has more frequent anger outbursts than normal pre-teens or teenagers. A definite sign that DMDD may be a possibility is how explosive the anger episode can be compared with the gravity of the situation. In other words, a child can have an explosive tantrum or outburst due to an event that another child would merely shrug off as an annoyance.
A child with DMDD also experiences tantrum that are unequal with their developmental level – for example, if a 12-year old is experiencing signs of the “terrible twos,” this may be a telltale sign. This disorder is also characterized by a persistent, angry mood. Some parents would say that this irritable mod never seems to go away. It is important to note that this mood would be apparent to all that come in contact with the child in question – DMDD would be noticeable by parents, teachers, friends, and family alike.
Rites of Passage NW is a long-term treatment facility that can help children that suffer from disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, and get them back on the road to recovery. Our long-term treatment facility is fully staffed and medically certified, and we can give safe, effective, one-on-one treatment with each child, often without medication. To learn more about Rites of Passage, please call (800)794-0980 to speak with someone who cares.