Jun 30, 2008

Please Don't Label My Child

In his book, Please Don't Label My Child, Scott M. Shannon, MD, discusses the issue of a doctor-diagnosis-drug cycle and alternatives for parents to explore before labeling their children with mental and emotional health problems and diseases.

There can be environmental, nutritional and other factors causing many of the symptoms of emotional and mental health and behavioral issues. Are parents, doctors, and educators too quick to jump to prescription drugs to control these problems and not explore the causes and prevention?

Is a diet high in sugar and fat causing spikes in blood sugar that is causing severe mood swings or is the child really exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disease?

Are we expecting our children to sit still and listen, read or solve math problems without teaching them how to get through a day without the constant companionship and stimulation of some electronic device?

Are teachers too quick to label children’s disruptive behavior as an attention deficit problem instead of exploring the possibility that there are way too many children in a classroom and they are bored with the teaching techniques that don’t provide them with instant answers and gratification?

Dr. Shannon offers some common sense causes and alternative solutions to mental and emotional distress symptoms before jumping feet first into the diagnosis-drug cycle.