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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

All kids misbehave some times. And some may have temporary behavior problems due to stress. For example, the birth of a sibling, a divorce, or a death in the family may cause a child to act out. Behavior disorders are more serious. They involve a pattern of hostile, aggressive, or disruptive behaviors for more than 6 months. The behavior is also not appropriate for the child's age.

Warning signs can include:

• Harming or threatening themselves, other people or pets
• Damaging or destroying property
• Lying or stealing
• Not doing well in school, skipping school
• Early smoking, drinking or drug use
• Early sexual activity
• Frequent tantrums and arguments
• Consistent hostility toward authority figures

If you see signs of a problem, ask for help. Poor choices can become habits. Kids who have behavior problems are at higher risk for school failure, mental health problems, and even suicide. Classes or family therapy may help parents learn to set and enforce limits. Talk therapy and behavior therapy for your child can also help.

Start Here

• Normal Child Behavior (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• What You Can Do to Change Your Child's Behavior (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Children's Threats: When Are They Serious? (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish
• Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish
• When to Seek Help for Your Child (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Children and Mental Health: Is This Just a Stage? (National Institute of Mental Health) Also in Spanish
• Going to a Therapist (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Mental Health Care Providers for Kids: Who's Who (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Psychotherapies for Children and Adolescents (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish
• Taking Your Child to a Therapist (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• What Is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician? (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Teaching Your Child Self-Control (Nemours Foundation)
• Understanding Your Child's Temperament: Why It's Important (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• 10 Tips to Prevent Aggressive Behavior in Young Children (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Conduct Disorder (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish
• Disobedient Child (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Disruptive Behavior Disorders (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Fighting and Biting (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• School Refusal (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
• Shyness in Children (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Swearing (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Temper Tantrums (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Violent Behavior in Children and Adolescents (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Behavior Disorders (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Conduct Disorder (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Firearm Experiences, Behaviors, and Norms Among Rural Adolescents.
• Article: Association of health behaviors in life's essential 8 and hypertension in...
• Article: Psychometric properties of the preschool strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) in...
• Child Behavior Disorders -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
• National Institute of Mental Health Also in Spanish
• Psychologist Locator (American Psychological Association)

Patient Handouts

• Conduct disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Discipline in children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Oppositional defiant disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Temper tantrums (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Trichotillomania (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish