Why?
If you are concerned that your child might have DMDD or another mental disorder you are already on the right track. DMDD can cause disruptions for the child at home and at school. Outbursts and constant irritability can put a strain on the child's relationship with peers and family members. Children with DMDD may also have difficulty participating in activities with other children and have a hard time making friends. DMDD also puts the child at risk of developing depressive and anxiety disorders as they age (NIMH, 2017).
Who?
The first step in treatment is to get a licensed professional to assess your child and provide an accurate diagnosis. Two kinds of professionals that can provide an assessment and diagnosis are psychologists and psychiatrists.
Psychologists are trained doctors (Ph. D or Psy. D) who can assess, diagnose and treat those with emotional and behavioral difficulties with or without a diagnosis of a mental illness.
Psychiatrists are trained physicians (MD or DO) who can evaluate psychiatric and medical symptoms as well as diagnose and treat patients. Psychiatrists can also discuss effective medication. If the psychiatrist and guardian decide to treat with medication a psychiatrist can both prescribe and monitor the medication.
How?
Psychiatrists and psychologists can use a variety of methods to assess and diagnose children with DMDD. Professionals will be able meet with you and your child to discuss the child's behavior and functioning. The doctor will then evaluate the findings from reports of the child's behaviors and decide they point to a diagnosis of DMDD.
If your child is diagnosed with DMDD, you can discuss with your doctor which treatment will be most effective. There are a variety of different treatment methods available such as:
Therapy
There is evidence that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may be effective in helping regulate moods. CBT can help children learn how to deal with their thoughts and feelings. The therapist will help teach coping skills and ways to help manage situations that distress the child. They can also teach ways for the child to manage their frustration (Waxmonsky et. al, 2013).
Play therapy can help children reduce their negative behaviors. By using different methods children can learn how to change their attitudes and behaviors (Meany-Walen, Bratton, & Kottman, 2014).
Medication
Stimulant use has been found to reduce levels of irritability in children with a diagnosis of DMDD and ADHD (Watts, 2015).
Antidepressant medication is sometimes used to treat the irritability and mood problems associated with DMDD and studies are currently evaluating their effectiveness. Even though many have found antidepressants to be both safe helpful, there is a risk of side effects so a child who is prescribed antidepressants should be closely monitored (NIMH, 2017).
Antitypical antipsychotics have also been prescribed for child who have very severe temper outbursts and aggression. As these medications are also associated with side effects a child should be closely monitored when taking antitypical antipsychotics (NIMH, 2017).
Meany-Walen, K. K., Bratton, S. C., & Kottman, T. (2014). Effects of Adlerian Play Therapy on reducing students’ disruptive behaviors. Journal of Counseling and Development, 92, 47-56. DOI: 10.1002/j.1556-6676.2014.00129.x
NIMH. (2017). Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. Retrieved February, 2017, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/disruptive-mood-dysregulation-disorder-dmdd/disruptive-mood-dysregulation-disorder.shtml
Watts, V. (2015). How to diagnose and treat disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Psychiatric News. 10.1176/appi.pn.2015.8b11
Waxmonsky, J. G., Wymbs, F. A., Pariseau, M. E., Belin, P. J., Waschbusch, D. A., & Babocsai, L. (2013). A novel group therapy for children with ADHD and severe mood dysregulation. Journal of Attention Disorders, 17(6), 527-541