Effective Treatment for Mood Dysregulation in Children and Adolescents
A teenager's “moodiness” is usually seen as a normal aspect of growing up, but when it goes beyond a little attitude or occasional outbursts, it may be worth professional intervention. Children and adolescents who experience regular, severe outbursts and chronic irritability that affect their relationships may be experiencing symptoms of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD).
While DMDD is a relatively new diagnosis, evidence suggests it affects upward of 5% of kids in the United States. Untreated, this condition often leads to anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses, so it's critical we address it as quickly as possible. At Hillside®, we understand how challenging it can be to navigate access to treatment and the different behavioral and mental health levels of care. Our team is here to help you find the right treatment for mood dysregulation using a range of specialized modalities and personalized treatment programs.
Mood Dysregulation Treatment Options
There are many effective treatment modalities for mood dysregulation, meaning we can deliver personalized care plans. Based on your child's clinical presentation, level of acuity, we provide the following levels of care to match the clinical needs:
- Residential treatment: We maintain 24/7 monitoring in a structured environment to facilitate round-the-clock care for females ages 11-17 and males ages 13-17.
- Experience DBT Day Treatment Program: Our partial hospitalization program is available for students 13-17 who can maintain safety at home in the evening and weekends while engaging in intensive treatment during the weekdays from 8:30AM-4PM.
- Virtual intensive outpatient program (VIOP): Teens aged 12-17 can also participate virtually in an interactive program to learn Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills and engage in individual and family therapy.
- Intensive in-home therapy: clients aged 6-24 can benefit from treatment right in their home or in different settings in the community with 24/7 phone support.
Regardless of the program, participants will work with licensed mental health providers who will construct a care plan that will typically include:
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT has been shown to be especially helpful in managing intense emotions such as those that appear in many DMDD patients. This includes individual DBT therapy, group DBT Skills, and coaching calls.
- Family therapy: Mental health challenges can affect entire families, and we invite everyone involved to work through it together.
- Medication management: Treatment for mood dysregulation may require more than therapy. Our psychiatric providers will work closely with you and your child to determine if prescription medication is needed and which options would be most suitable.
Finding the Right Mood Dysregulation Treatment Center
While most mental health issues often get diagnosed in the late teens/early adulthood, mental health concerns in childhood/early teenage years often require a different level of care and specialized understanding. As such, it's critical that your child's mood dysregulation is addressed by a treatment team that is experience and qualified to help. The earlier the symptoms and mental health concerns are correctly addressed, the less suffering for the child and the more effective the outcomes.
As you pursue DMDD treatment centers, be sure to ask questions like:
- What is the age range of people you treat?
- Who will be working with the child?
- What experience do your practitioners have with children and adolescents?
- What is the expectation for the family/caregivers during treatment?
- What is the treatment modality you will use to address the symptoms?
At Hillside, our providers have answers ready for you. Our admissions team member will talk to you to ensure we're the right fit for your needs.
NOTE: If you are experiencing an emergency or feel your child has become a threat to others or themselves, contact emergency services first — call either 911 or 988, the mental health hotline. Hillside will be happy to work with emergency care teams to facilitate admission to our program following discharge.
Arrange Adolescent Treatment for Mood Dysregulation Disorder in Georgia
If a child you care about is struggling, let Hillside be the treatment center that helps them address their mood dysregulation. We invite you to learn more about our success and outcomes.
Our admissions team is standing by to help you find the next steps for your child or adolescent. We accept many major insurance providers — as well as referrals from committed providers. Connect with us today and start treatment for DMDD now.
FAQs — Strategies for Parents
Whether you're a parent, guardian or care provider of children with DMDD, these frequently asked questions may answer your concerns.
Simply being there for your child can be enough to help them feel supported as they navigate this diagnosis. At Hillside, we invite parents and guardians to get involved with their child's treatment. Outside of that, you can also:
- Encourage more communication about their feelings.
- Introduce them to or get involved with their coping skills.
- Be ready to listen when they want to connect or be vulnerable.
- Continue to support them in therapy and treatment.
