Recently I got a newsletter from Crosswalk.com The title caught my attention ‘Bad Attitude: The Newest ‘Disorder’ I read the article and I encourage you to as well. Mr. Ken Connor wrote this article is response to George Will’s take on the new DSM for psychology coming out, A ‘Cure’ for Character Both of these articles discuss the medical community over reaching to create disorders to explain away our child’s problems. Do I agree with this…No with a touch of yes.
I have seen a child in full rage. No thought just a locked, frustrated, screaming cycle that can go on for hours. Is this normal..no. A normally responding child would throw a tantrum at a young age attempting to assert their will usually to get something. The parent should not give in, you are in charge. A rage is as different as a house cat is to an anger lion. They are similar and you can try to explain away they are basically the same. But if you try to pet that lion to calm it down you will get hurt. A child in a rage does not respond to normal calming techniques. They do not stop until the intense emotional outburst ends. I think though that even with all that rages are not a diagnosis. They are a symptom.
Do conditions like ODD and RAD exist? YES!!! and I am sure I could easily get a show of hands that live it. These articles belittle those of us that deal day in and day out with children that have these disorders. I don’t think the authors know that. I do think they read the multitude of disorders that are scrambling to get into the next DSM and knee jerked to some false conclusions.
Before I was a parent I knew ALL about it. I had read all the books. Watched the newest hip, guru on parenting. I had even babysat several times. Then I had a pink bundle placed in my hands and all that changed. I can use that info but there is a difference of responsibility that cannot be contained in a book, or video. The same happened when my daughter was diagnosed with autism. There was a shift in my heart that happened when I realised that the Lord had blessed us with more responsibility.
Please take the time to comment at these two writers articles. They are sound writers that I have read in the past. They need to know that we as parents of special kids would appreciate a little more than a chuckle and a joke aimed at our parenting and children.
THANK YOU for bringing these articles to my attention. My oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD at age 5. Although he has a mild case that we handle by homeschooling, it does make for some very difficult and frustrating parenting situations. I beleive that MANY kids are misdiagnosed with certain disorders, but there are also an equally large number of kids that simply are not able to function like all the “other kids”. It is frustrating to hear someone say that all of these kids could be straightened out simply by the parents being better parents. It is not always a matter of lack of discipline or wrong parenting tactics. We know our children better than anyone and I will never allow someone else to tell me I am imagining issues or that I am simply looking for an excuse to be a lazy parent!
It is so frustrating to me! I wrote a post about somrthing like this http://tc-twistedfairytale.blogspot.com/2010/03/she-doesnt-need-fixing.html