Dear Gill,
When our daughter was about four my wife was told by a paediatrician who
ought to know better:' she may never know her name' My wife's response:
Bullshit, we had a chicken once that knew its name!', and so from that
point on we have been become the experts on our daughter and challenged
opinion from academics who know everything because they have read a
book. Real life is not that way, who said that life writes lousy
scripts?
I believe that in identification and diagnosis, not only are labels
useful, they are essential. In the scheme of things a label on a jar of
knowledge indicates what we may find in the jar, it is like a live link
on the web. If you are looking for thermo dynamics, you will happily
bypass the jar marked psychology. There is ofcourse the problem of the
grey areas where there is overlap, and over specialization frequently
leads to a blinkered view because too many relevant jars are left
unopened. Fortunately I was spared this in my professional life, as a
marine engineer is a jack of all trades by definition.
Using labels as markers in this way I believe is every bit as legitemate
as finding sugar in the sugar jar. What is not acceptable is where these
labels are then used as a tool in social organization. It adds a ball
and chain where things are difficult enough without it. This of course
is not limited to the disability area, many other minority groups,
wommen, non caucasians, elderly, indigenous, prisoners, you name it.
Wolfensberger may be controversial, which I suppose is good as it means
that he has made some impact, but he at least has recognized this and
has tried to reverse this marginalization.
Have a good time, rgds John
Gill Dixon wrote:
>
> I am very interested in the issue of 'labelling', and was interested (and
> in agreement with) John's comments re negotiating labels on a daily basis
> depending on who 'they' encounter.
>
> I find that I negotiate my own feelings re labelling on a regular basis. In
> my heart I (think) I believe that labels create prejudice, and that they
> should be reserved for jam jars. However, I don't think that our culture
> or society allows me to hold true to that belief for the following reasons:
>
> When I realised that my own son had 'hidden disabilities' for want of a
> better term, I was extremely keen to be given a diagnosis/label. (Are they
> the same thing?)
> This enabled me to read and research what have amounted to very complex and
> subtle difficulties in life and learning. In being 'well read' on his
> particular 'diagnosis' (which is poorly understood) I felt more able to
> offer him appropriate support at home, and more capable of fairing well in
> the battle-field of education. In deed I have made a career of being a
> 'pro-active Mum'.
>
> Now that I know the nature and actual and potential consequences of his
> particular difference, the label has retreated into the background, but it
> enables me to offer my son an honest reason why he finds things more
> difficult that his peers . This really seems to calm his frustration.
>
> I speak to many children and adults with the same 'diagnosis' and they are
> ALL pleased to have a hook on which to hang their difficulties. Indeed
> many of those who were diagnosed in adulthood have been almost liberated.
> Liberated from a history of assumed stupidity, laziness or disruption.
> They have found great relief in the label, and some have become very
> pro-active in their claim to equality.
>
> However, having acquired the educational resources for my son to meet his
> needs (via his label) I am truly concerned that his educational provision
> is moulded around his label rather than his unknown potential.
> 'He'll never be a high flyer' is not an unfamiliar turn of phrase to be
> directed at me. Said about a child of almost 8, at the very beginning of
> his school career. Frightening.
>
> It is a difficult, and I know contentious subject, but I would be very
> interested to hear what other list members think. My own thoughts and ideas
> changed dramatically of course, when I became involved on a subjective
> level.
>
> (Perhaps hidden disabilities are an issue on there own).
>
> Regards.
> Gill.
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