Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Questions Parents Ought to be Asking Before the Mental Health Experts Interview and Diagnose Their Child

1) What is the criteria for Normality? What are the expected Normal Behaviors and where has it been written and by whom. Who decides who is Normal and Abnormal? What is the official definition of Normal. What does normal really mean. Is an Olympic athlete normal, is a gifted artist, dancer normal? Is a child with special needs normal?Who might profit from the labeling?

2) Will you be allowed to get a second opinion or more importantly disagree with the label. Can you see the record and enter corrections. Will the record ever be destroyed or will the label follow the child throughout life.

3) What is the very worst thing that the Label will have the power to do to your child or you, if it fell in the hands of your enemies

4) Can you refuse the label and if you do what are the consequences/repercussions

5) What are the results of studies of long-term use of drugs like Ritalin, which has effects on the brain similar to those of cocaine? Where are those studies and how can we have access to them

6) Have any long-term studies been done to look at children from different environments

7) Is ADHD a physical disease with a confirmed physical or chemical abnormality that can be demonstrated within the patient?

8) How many children have they raised and with what outcome?

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