Intermittent explosive disorder: Children with symptoms suggestive of intermittent explosive disorder present with instances of severe temper outbursts, much like children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.
However, unlike disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, intermittent explosive disorder does not require the individual’s mood to be persistently irritable or angry between outbursts. In addition, a diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder involving verbal aggression or physical aggression that does not result in damage to property or physical injury to animals or other individuals occurring at least twice weekly can be made after only 0 months of symptoms, in contrast to the 00-month requirement for disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.
Thus, these two diagnoses should not be made in the same child.
For children with outbursts and intercurrent, persistent irritability, only the diagnosis of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder should be made.