Labelling Children

I owe Ninathenana an apology I should have addressed my post to nina1959 Apologies wrong Nina ?

Ankers ,my comment about acceptance referred to hope rather than reality.I share concerns for work opportunities for those with labels

Oh how I agree with you, Lisalou, none of these disabilities existed when I was at school in the 70s and 80s - oddly enough, discipline did!!! I have a friend with two children "on the autistic spectrum", over the years they have claimed tens of thousands of pounds in benefits and travel expenses. Forty mile round journeys to school in taxis because one couldn't cope with lots of people (regular concert goer, mind you!!) and the other had " anger issues" and might hit someone on the bus!!!! Now that gives children with REAL problems a bad name and I'm sure it's not isolated!

Totally agree with you Josiebear. I see people on a daily basis who are quite proud of the fact that their child has been awarded dla/pip for ADHD. These people are usually young mothers or families on income support or low wage earners. It certainly does give children and their families with real problems a bad name.

So now we are accused of being benefit cheats.Agreed Anya,some people will never understand.

Badenkate your GS sounds identical to mine! The thing that really sent him over the edge was having a whole lot of different teachers in one year (Not the school's fault, just bad luck) he just couldn't cope with the constant changes and we had all the melt downs, panic attacks and running away from school. Now the staffing problems have settled down and he is coping much better.

Josiebear I'm sure they did exist back in the 50s and 60s. I've spent over 40 years wondering why DH was so difficult to live with. After seeing the way GS1 behaves I realise that he may never have been diagnosed but he's out there on the spectrum himself.

Interestingly DD was talking to the SENCO lady at school today and she said that the Thames Valley has the highest level of autism in the country. She said that she puts it down to the high level of IT workers in the area. DD said "But I don't work in IT" "But what do you do?" was the answer. "I'm a scientist" she said "And his father's an engineer ......"

The comment about ADHD reminded me of a course I did about it many years ago. There was the usual info about the condition and how it might manifest itself, but the most interesting thing was the things that the organiser said at the end. Children with ADHD are a problem in schools because of the way schools are run, but adults with ADHD are the entrepreneurs and pioneers of society. They start more businesses than any other group, they take chances and if they fail they try again, without them society would be poorer in many ways. If such people are medicated as is now quite common, will they continue to do this? He didn't have an answer. But I also think it shows how children who have problems in school may in fact be successful in the real world. The label helps give them the help they need to reach their true potential.

No, Greenfinch, not at all! I hoped to cause no offence to anyone. I'm just speaking as I find on that particular case. I think the medical world find it easier to label and medicate, having worked in pharmacy for 22 years, that much is obvious in something as straightforward as asthma - record number of inhalers being given, if a child coughs!! Sorry, Greenfinch, truly.

Greenfinch don't let the 'rabbits' get to you.

I cannot see the analogy with asthma. I remain

Josiebear have you actually seen how asthma is diagnosed? nothing to do with a cough at all, but to do with lung capacity measured by a peak flow meter. It's done over a period of time and it is essential. People who were not diagnosed as children had significant physical changes because of the body trying to compensate for the lack of lung capacity. Such changes are rarely seen these days.

Oh gosh, I've got myself in trouble alright! The analogy, Greenfinch, was to compare the growing number of diagnoses, not to compare a disease of the respiratory system with one of an individuals psychological make-up! This is my personal opinion and I will say sorry again for offending you but not for speaking as I find.

When people say 'speaking as I find' it sets my teeth on edge. What it means is 'I'll hold onto my view because that's all I know'.

Agree Anya, I read it in the same way I do when someone says 'I call a spade a spade'. It's another way of saying they give themselves permission to be rude or offensive to others

My grandson is not disabled Josiebear. He is on a point of the autistic spectrum which means he has problems coping with unstructured situations and also emphasising with other people. We are all somewhere on this spectrum - I, for example, like to plan ahead and feel uncomfortable if I don't have some idea of what I'mean going to do.
As for people not having this in the 70s and 80s, that's simply not true. I could show you people who went through school at that time - and from various countries - who exhibit very clear signs of autism. Most of these were lucky enough to cope because they were academic enough to survive - others would have been abandoned by the system as troublemakers in 'sink' classes

That should be empathising not emphasising

Thank you, Anya, a personal attack is always welcome! I do try to gauge my opinions on the back of different information I have gleaned. I have a wide breadth of knowledge so please don't presume to tell everyone what I do or don't know!!

I do agree with Josiebear on the issue of asthma. In 2015 the Guardian reported "NICE said studies showed that up to 30% of the 4.1 million people treated for asthma in the UK did not show any “clear evidence” of the incurable condition and may be receiving unnecessary treatment." I also recall reading some years ago that the treatment of mistakenly diagnosed asthma actually exacerbate and perpetuate asthma-like symptoms and so what was originally a problem that would have resolved itself ends up being a chronic condition. Again some years ago, I remember seeing a programme which put forward the idea that mild asthma or asthma-like symptoms could often be alleviated by regular breathing exercises. Many of these alternative approaches, which may be helpful in dispensing with the need for long term medication or help to reduce the dosage and frequency of medication, have not really been properly researched.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that there aren't properly diagnosed cases of asthma that require medication but I have concerns that medication is given too readily for lots of conditions that possibly don't need it - perhaps in order to satisfy patients that "something is being done".

I realise it's off the subject because we were talking about behavioural and learning difficulties, but it still relates to whether medication should be prescribed so readily without other approaches being looked at. I suppose the problem is that GPs and other medical professionals have very little time in which to investigate fully and to try other approaches.

I couldn't give a damn about your feelings Josie - as you obviously don't about others you have offended on this thread.

I'd say that 'a little learning is a dangerous thing'

Radicalnan,they come from the same place as the transgenders,ridiculous,no wonder there's so many kids in therapy.
Yes,I know there are genuine cases,of course I do.BUT.

Good grief,out come the nasties,
Now there's a definite increase in them.
Now here's a cure,visit a hospice.

Let's get one thing straight.

This thread started off contentiously. It insulted the teaching profession (of which I was a member) and it insulted children with specific problems (which my GS1 has).

Many people have reacted strongly to such lack of understanding. We have tried to inform and educate those who do not understand because they have either never experienced this first hand, or in the case of the OP, suggest she has more compassion and understanding of the children she castigates.

This has been met, by just a few, with a complete disregard for those who are struggling to explain how their lovely grandchildren are already suffering from this lack of understanding and how it is affecting their life chances. We care about these children. We care very much. These little people mean a lot to us and when we see their problems dismissed as just 'lazy' or their parents dismissed as 'poor parents' then it is so way off the mark it makes my blood boil.

So be careful who you consider the 'nasties' in all this. Those who are at the heart of this situation or those who are saying it's all a big excuse.

Thank you Anya for your last post. I felt very hurt by some of these comments on here. I tried to be honest by explaining what had happened to my GS, and the implication that his parents were failures (they have 2 other children who are functioning normally and all 3 are polite, well-behaved), or that they are in some way after money and that this is just an excuse for bad behaviour, was like a kick in the stomach!

Reading all these posts I get a visual of lots of children sitting at their desks, all with a cardboard label hanging from their neck with the name of the 'syndrome' 'condition' (call it what you like) on the card.

Imo children are children. Some may be bright, some active, some not so bright, some not so active, some timid, some bold some gentle some bullies. Oh, no, I have put another label round their necks now!

For those who genuinely need help then thank goodness there is help available for them. However, just remember once that label is put around their neck ie on their record, it will stay with them throughout their whole life and they will have to live with it. Be careful not to be quick to put them in someone's database. Let them just be children with all their faults and failings. Life is hard enough I think.