Does that mean he will develop a conduct disorder?
All children misbehave at some time. Only those children and adolescents who have more serious and consistent behavioral problems may develop a Conduct Disorder. If an 8-year-old defies her parents and refuses to do what they ask her to do does that mean she has a Conduct Disorder? CD is manifested in different ways at different ages. Preschoolers may be aggressive, oppositional , defiant and have tantrums. School-aged children may challenge classroom and adult authority, lie and steal. Adolescents may violate the law and community authority; they fight, steal, vandalize, are accident-prone and commit crimes against persons and property. An eight-year-old who has tantrums is not displaying age-appropriate behavior, and consultation with a professional would help pinpoint ways to help her change her behavior. My adolescent son stays out late and doesn’t tell us where he is. We don’t like the friends he chooses, and his school work is beginning to suffer. Is that part of a Conduct Disord
