According to recent observations of studies conducted on temper tantrums, there are five styles that tantrums fall in: those that cause self injury; those that injure others; those needing help to calm themselves; lasting 25 minutes or longer; and having more than five tantrums per day or more than 10 per month.

These styles, generated after a study conducted by Dr. Andy Belden of Washington University School of Medicine, were the result of reports submitted by parents of 279 children, age 3 to 6. A comparative analysis was done on healthy children and children diagnosed with ADHD, depression, or other forms of disruptive behavior.

The reports showed children that feel into the “sick” category – previous diagnosis of ADHD, possibly hungry, or over stimulated – were more likely to have temper tantrums, but children that were healthy were less likely to have prolonged tantrums. Tantrums exhibited in healthy children tended to not be as aggressive as children with a noted disorder.

In an article posted on the Environmental News Network by Reuters, Dr. Belden expressed his concern for children experiencing “extreme tantrums consistently. If almost every time they are having a tantrum they are hurting themselves or other people, that is a valid reason to go and talk to your pediatrician.”

Seeking help for your child having difficulty controlling their temper and having continuous tantrums should not be looked upon as your child being “bad” or that you are a bad parent. With just one disorder noted above, approximately 4% to 12% of school-age children are affected by ADHD.

My oldest child has been diagnosed with ADHD and prior to being diagnosed he had frequent tantrums. When we began his review for diagnosis, I was asked to keep a journal of his routine; school, activities, eating, etc. After both his Doctor and I reviewed the journal, we realized key times when he would be most aggressive – usually late afternoon after not enough sleep and around lunch and dinner times.

Since children with ADHD struggle for organization, I had to learn how to organize my son’s life, to give him a routine that kept him on track and allowed him to integrate new appointments and projects at a slow pace to not disrupt his routine. Yes, we still have struggles, as all parents do, but he is adjusting well and becoming a happier child for it.

This is an original The Parent Spot post.