Hi everyone!
Im sharron mum of three (new here), my son who is 13 has dyspraxia and odd and is making our family life unbearable with his tantrums and constant demands! I was wondering if there was any other parents of teens with odd, and how they cope, as im really at my wits end as to how to cope with him, as whatever i do never works!, and im dreading the next few years with him!
sharron x

Sharron, does your son have verbal dyspraxia? Has he been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder?

Hi, no he has the co-ordination side of dyspraxia, he was also seeing a pyscologist for a while, but it never comes to anything as they dont see what he can be like at home!
sharron .

Hi, no he has the co-ordination side of dyspraxia, he was also seeing a pyscologist for a while, but it never comes to anything as they dont see what he can be like at home!
sharron .Does he have the same difficulties with behaviour at school?

I am more familiar with dealing with ODD than dyspraxia. ODD can be handled at least to some degree by behavior management methods.
What I might suggest is a method of making the child responsible for their behaviors. The format is whatever behavior decisions you make you also chose the consequences that go along with it. In other words you put the responsibility on the child, For example you tell the child to turn off the tv and he is going to test you. Do not try to make him turn off the tv (he wants a power struggle). You simply tell him that if he choses not to turn the tv off then he chooses for you to turn it off and he chooses not to watch it tomorrow...his choice. He tests you and you simply say "OK you chose for me to turn it off and you chose to not watch it tomorrow. "But MOM!!" "It was your choice why are you getting up set with me? The next day "I want to watch TV" "No, remember you chose to not watch it today when you chose not to turn it off yesterday....it was your decision-but you can watch it tomorrow." Then stick to it....no second chances. No giving in. It is not your problem he made his decision it is his. why should you take the responsibility for his bad decision. Put it back on him.

A simplified version perhaps but useful. The other point is to make only one warning (or none if it is a known issue) then action within 15 seconds of the second infraction. If you can do it with a smile on you face and a lilt in your voice, you are winning.
Rule: If you get upset, the child wins, If you don't you do. It's that simple.
Good luck..getting a teen back under control is going to be a struggle but it can be done.
Diz