Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant or hostile behavior by a child toward figures of authority. Children with this disorder exhibit stubbornness and unwillingness to give into peers and adults that is so severe that it interferes with their ability to function on a day-to-day basis.

All children sometimes disobey parents and other authority figures. But in some cases, this behavior becomes a habitual pattern that may cause major problems at home and in school. Children with ODD can be so defiant that virtually anything can trigger a tantrum or argument. This can be emotionally taxing for everyone in the family.

Between 5 percent and 15 percent of all school-age children have ODD, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. This behavior goes beyond the boundary of normal childhood disobedience and must continue for a period of at least six months. ODD usually occurs by the time a child is 8 years old and typically appears no later than early adolescence. It is more common in boys than girls prior to puberty, but tends to be present in equal numbers in boys and girls after puberty.