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Different levelsPreschool Preschool children shouldn’t be diagnosed with DMDD. According to Dr. Todd Finnerty, “in a study of 1,500 preschoolers (3-5) less than 10% of them reportedly had daily temper tantrums.” Parents and professionals need to find out why these tantrums happen to prevent them and help the child develop skills to deal with those situations. Children Children with DMDD have the irritability characteristic of this condition, and they even show this behavior in more than one setting. It is recommended that children age six and above whom present DMDD symptoms have an extensive mental evaluation since this is a new disorder which can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Children with DMDD may have comorbid behavioral health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or ADHD. Older Youths Some studies show that older youth with DMDD have other comorbid psychiatric disorders, particularly ODD. Both DMDD and ODD should be considered to have mixed behavioral and emotional features. The DMDD appears to separate group of teenagers who have low risk for developing bipolar disorder. Adults While DMDD is a disorder that is diagnosed in children in adolescents, it may have consequences for young adults and adults who had the disorder. One study done in North Carolina shows that adults with DMDD in childhood were more likely to have depressive and anxiety disorders. Furthermore, these adults were more likely to have committed felonies and to have substance abuse problems. Also, these adults had a lower social and educational standing as compared with the other sample of adults. Interestingly, the comparison sample included adults who had had other childhood psychiatric disorders. However, it is important to remember that this was a regional sample, and that information is still being gathered about the disorder in general. Therefore, while DMDD is not an adult disorder, it may have an impact on the future of the children who are diagnosed with the disorder. |