As I list my favorite books and web links on my blog, I remember reading The Mislabeled Child by Brock Eide, M.D.,M.A., and Fernette Eide, M.D. They clearly stated the problems associated with adding "labels" to children. "Labels," they wrote, "…. can lead us to view children with learning challenges as diseased or disordered rather than as simply in need of further learning and development. In the age-old struggle between nature and nurture, nature currently dominates the battle for “expert opinion.” As a result, the labels applied to children with learning challenges often sound as if they represent fixed and unchanging brain disorders, caused by irresistible forces that a child’s development and experience have no power to change. Yet, a growing body of research has demonstrated that brain development is an ongoing process that can be shaped and accelerated through the use of “targeted experience”."
But, they also quote an old Chinese proverb, " The beginning of wisdom is calling things by their right name". Drs. Eides' book helps parents (teachers, or other child-care professionals) find the right names for describing the struggles of their children. In doing so, children can begin the road to learning to their full potential.
