Comments on: Should Children Under a Certain Age be Diagnosed or Labeled With a Mental Illness? http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/ THINK WELL to FEEL WELL...It's All About Being Emotionally Healthy! Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:34:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: sandrar http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-28008 sandrar Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:47:10 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-28008 Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post... nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R. Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.

]]> By: Dr. KC http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-1137 Dr. KC Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:19:47 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-1137 Dear Mandy, Every child is unique and has different symptoms of whatever disorder with which they may be diagnosed. Therefore, you are correct in saying that when or whether to medicate depends on the child. I hope your child is doing well now. You sound like a very caring and wonderful mom. Thank you for your comment. Dr. KC www.DOCintheBiz.com www.GLCzone.com Dear Mandy,

Every child is unique and has different symptoms of whatever disorder with which they may be diagnosed. Therefore, you are correct in saying that when or whether to medicate depends on the child. I hope your child is doing well now. You sound like a very caring and wonderful mom.

Thank you for your comment.

Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com

]]> By: Mandy http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-1136 Mandy Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:15:29 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-1136 As a mother of a 16 year old autistic child, I think that it depends on the disorder and the severity when to medicate. Personally, my child was first diagnosed with ADHD at a very early age. While he does have some ADHD qualities he is mainly autistic. We waited until he was about 4 before we tried any medications. As a mother of a 16 year old autistic child, I think that it depends on the disorder and the severity when to medicate. Personally, my child was first diagnosed with ADHD at a very early age. While he does have some ADHD qualities he is mainly autistic. We waited until he was about 4 before we tried any medications.

]]> By: Doc KC http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-661 Doc KC Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:34:20 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-661 Dear Jean, Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us and I do empathize with your difficulties growing up without a loving parent. I agree with you that nurturing children is so very important. Teaching them good morals and values is essential in today’s world. That is why it is imperative that parents take time to truly love, appreciate and raise their children. There is no right or wrong way, but there is a way of loving, caring, empathizing, listening, disciplining, and teaching them how to make good decisions. After that, we hope we have brought up children who can love, appreciate, and respect themselves and others and the things that have been given to them and we send them out into the world to make their own good choices. Thank you for your comment. Please keep reading and posting. Dr. KC www.DOCintheBiz.com www.GLCzone.com Dear Jean,

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us and I do empathize with your difficulties growing up without a loving parent. I agree with you that nurturing children is so very important. Teaching them good morals and values is essential in today’s world. That is why it is imperative that parents take time to truly love, appreciate and raise their children. There is no right or wrong way, but there is a way of loving, caring, empathizing, listening, disciplining, and teaching them how to make good decisions. After that, we hope we have brought up children who can love, appreciate, and respect themselves and others and the things that have been given to them and we send them out into the world to make their own good choices.

Thank you for your comment. Please keep reading and posting.

Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com

]]> By: Jean http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-660 Jean Fri, 20 Jun 2008 23:12:04 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-660 Hi DcKC, In my time, thank goodness, medications were not being dished out as they are today for every little thing - kids & adults. If I were a child of today, I probably would have been put on something. I truly believe that there are some that do have legitimate problems, but I also believe that we, our country, have become so used to the "blame game" and not taking responsibility for our lives. We just don't take the time to dedicate the attention needed for each other. Unfortunately, it's a dog eat dog world and every man for himself... even our own children - sometimes. It starts with the parents. If the child is not receiving the correct direction, that child is lost. A lost child WILL act out. Fortunately, I was brought up "old school" and brought up my 2 daughters the same. Unfortunately, there was much dysfunction in my younger years after losing my mother @ 7. The adults in my life after age 7 did not want the additional responsibility to deal with a 7 yr old that just lost her mother. Ignore the problem & it will go away. As one uncle said, "I don't want someone else's problem." Long story short ;0), I was never put on any medication, however was labeled emotionally disturbed (which, well, I had no direction), I became a lost child. And, you better believe, I acted out. So, I guess my point is that I believe that a lot of children today are just plain lost and the adults do not want the responsibility or want to take the time to do what is needed for the child's sake. Unconditional love, attention, quality time, listen, hug, smile of approval. Take a pill and all will be well. Sad. Hi DcKC,

In my time, thank goodness, medications were not being dished out as they are today for every little thing - kids & adults. If I were a child of today, I probably would have been put on something.

I truly believe that there are some that do have legitimate problems, but I also believe that we, our country, have become so used to the “blame game” and not taking responsibility for our lives.

We just don’t take the time to dedicate the attention needed for each other. Unfortunately, it’s a dog eat dog world and every man for himself… even our own children - sometimes.

It starts with the parents. If the child is not receiving the correct direction, that child is lost. A lost child WILL act out.

Fortunately, I was brought up “old school” and brought up my 2 daughters the same.

Unfortunately, there was much dysfunction in my younger years after losing my mother @ 7. The adults in my life after age 7 did not want the additional responsibility to deal with a 7 yr old that just lost her mother. Ignore the problem & it will go away. As one uncle said, “I don’t want someone else’s problem.”

Long story short ;0), I was never put on any medication, however was labeled emotionally disturbed (which, well, I had no direction), I became a lost child. And, you better believe, I acted out.

So, I guess my point is that I believe that a lot of children today are just plain lost and the adults do not want the responsibility or want to take the time to do what is needed for the child’s sake. Unconditional love, attention, quality time, listen, hug, smile of approval.

Take a pill and all will be well. Sad.

]]> By: Doc KC http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-639 Doc KC Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:32:39 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-639 Dear Jennifer, Yes, when diagnosing a person and giving them a label, it can happen that they “use it” as an excuse for their behavior. Instead of taking responsibility themselves, they blame it on the “disorder”. In addition, diagnoses are also sometimes given incorrectly. Everything, I would say is a “thinking error” where subjectivity plays a huge part. Lastly, nature vs. nurture will always be a long standing debate amongst doctors. You bring up several wonderful points in your comment. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your ideas. Please keep reading and posting. Dr. KC www.DOCintheBiz.com www.GLCzone.com Dear Jennifer,

Yes, when diagnosing a person and giving them a label, it can happen that they “use it” as an excuse for their behavior. Instead of taking responsibility themselves, they blame it on the “disorder”. In addition, diagnoses are also sometimes given incorrectly. Everything, I would say is a “thinking error” where subjectivity plays a huge part. Lastly, nature vs. nurture will always be a long standing debate amongst doctors.

You bring up several wonderful points in your comment. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your ideas. Please keep reading and posting.

Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com

]]> By: Jennifer http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-638 Jennifer Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:21:45 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-638 This has been a great discussion with a lot of great insights. To me it seems as though if you diagnose a child (or adult for that matter sometimes) that it gives them permission to act a certain way. It not only gives the child permission, but it gives the parents permission to allow or even encourge (maybe without realizing it) to act certain ways. I'm not saying that real conditions don't exist at early ages. I'm sure they may, and I'm not qualified to say whether a child has something or not. But I think that a wrong diagnosis can easily be made too early and the child end up with a condition he/she never had to begin with. The child could very well be acting a certain way because of the raising they are receiving from their parents or the example the parents have set. This reminds me of Benny Greenberg's post on hypochondriacs. I also think we need to keep in mind that labeling is a thinking error. A diagnosis is necessary in many cases (whatever the right age is), but to "label" a child with a certain disorder gives you permission to say, "they're just ......." I guess it's the difference in seperating the child from the disorder instead of saying the disorder is the child. This has been a great discussion with a lot of great insights.
To me it seems as though if you diagnose a child (or adult for that matter sometimes) that it gives them permission to act a certain way. It not only gives the child permission, but it gives the parents permission to allow or even encourge (maybe without realizing it) to act certain ways. I’m not saying that real conditions don’t exist at early ages. I’m sure they may, and I’m not qualified to say whether a child has something or not. But I think that a wrong diagnosis can easily be made too early and the child end up with a condition he/she never had to begin with. The child could very well be acting a certain way because of the raising they are receiving from their parents or the example the parents have set. This reminds me of Benny Greenberg’s post on hypochondriacs.

I also think we need to keep in mind that labeling is a thinking error. A diagnosis is necessary in many cases (whatever the right age is), but to “label” a child with a certain disorder gives you permission to say, “they’re just …….” I guess it’s the difference in seperating the child from the disorder instead of saying the disorder is the child.

]]> By: Doc KC http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-637 Doc KC Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:37:33 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-637 Dear Shilpan, I completely agree with you! Many times, children are diagnosed with ADHD, when they show the symptoms of the disorder because they are: -Bored -School work is too easy -Have a lot of natural energy and don’t get adequate time to release it by engaging in physical activities These are just a few reasons. Look for a future article coming out on this topic. Thank you for your comment! Dr. KC www.DOCintheBiz.com www.GLCzone.com Dear Shilpan,

I completely agree with you! Many times, children are diagnosed with ADHD, when they show the symptoms of the disorder because they are:

-Bored
-School work is too easy
-Have a lot of natural energy and don’t get adequate time to release it by engaging in physical activities

These are just a few reasons. Look for a future article coming out on this topic.
Thank you for your comment!

Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com

]]> By: Shilpan | successsoul.com http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-623 Shilpan | successsoul.com Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:17:59 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-623 Dr KC, I'm skeptical to categories young children under 3 to diagnose ADHD. I'm not a psychology major but my opinion is that children at that age tend to do things without focus as their mind tend to shift focus so quickly. Partly, it is their incessant desire to grasp everything that comes in their contact. Partly it is that unbound curiosity to learn everything and of course, their abundance energy also play a role in the focus shift. Shilpan Dr KC,

I’m skeptical to categories young children under 3 to diagnose ADHD. I’m not a psychology major but my opinion is that children at that age tend to do things without focus as their mind tend to shift focus so quickly. Partly, it is their incessant desire to grasp everything that comes in their contact. Partly it is that unbound curiosity to learn everything and of course, their abundance energy also play a role in the focus shift.

Shilpan

]]> By: Doc KC http://docinthebiz.com/blog/should-children-under-a-certain-age-be-diagnosed-or-labeled-with-a-mental-illness/#comment-620 Doc KC Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:34:44 +0000 http://docinthebiz.com/blog/?p=64#comment-620 Dear Devin, Thank you for your comment. We see things very similarly. You are correct about autism and I agree with you about how you educate parents. It’s best to watch a child under 5 who shows symptoms of an academic or social functioning issue, but probably not to take any action as far as labeling before this age. After age 5, if the symptoms persist, I would begin with accommodations to school work or counseling well before even thinking about putting a diagnosis on the school aged child. Great to have you here posting! Dr. KC www.DOCintheBiz.com www.GLCzone.com Dear Devin,

Thank you for your comment. We see things very similarly. You are correct about autism and I agree with you about how you educate parents. It’s best to watch a child under 5 who shows symptoms of an academic or social functioning issue, but probably not to take any action as far as labeling before this age. After age 5, if the symptoms persist, I would begin with accommodations to school work or counseling well before even thinking about putting a diagnosis on the school aged child.

Great to have you here posting!

Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com

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