Medicalisation of an attitude

[vernon]

An acquaintance of mine was introduced to a pupil who's due to join his school in September.
The child has an hitherto unknown condition, unknown to us that is, which is Oppositional Defiant Disorder. I looked up the term not believing it existed. I read the guff and realised that it was widely recognised under its common name of naughty. Here's a description of some of the symptoms:

The key behavioural symptoms of ODD are negative, hostile and defiant behaviour. For ODD to be diagnosed, symptoms have to have been present for at least six months and involve four or more of the following:

• often loses temper naughty
• often argues with adults naughty
• often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults’ requests or rules naughty
• often deliberately annoys people naughty
• often blames others for his mistakes or misbehaviour naughty
• often touchy or easily annoyed by others naughty
• often angry and resentful naughty
• often spiteful or vindictive. naughty

To be classified as ODD, the behaviour also has to have caused a significant degree of disturbance to home, social or school life.

The diagnosis has meant the the child has a full time classroom assistant as a working partner.

I really don't know whether to laugh or cry.

 

[slowmotion]

He has my deepest sympathy. I have CAAS.


Crap at Algebra Syndrome

 

[swee'pea99]

"He's not the Messiah, he has Oppositional Defiant Disorder."

 

[TVC]

I have several family members who work in teaching, and speaking to them, they have come across something similar, CPD - Crap Parenting Disorder.

 

[Doseone]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the "bible" of mental illness has recently been re-written, which means that all of a sudden a lot more people are classified with disorders.

By the time of the next re-write every facet of behaviour will have "disorder" attached to it and I may be able to claim benefit for unable to resist prawn jalfrezi disorder.

 

[Alex H]

A long, long time ago my wife worked with kids like those in a 'special school' - then it was called 'Challenging Behaviour'

 

[vernon]

I have several family members who work in teaching, and speaking to them, they have come across something similar, CPD - Crap Parenting Disorder.

I've been teaching for thirty years and thought that I'd seen and heard everything. I really thought that my pal was winding me up with a fabricated illness/diagnosis.

 

[JtB]

Labels enable diagnosis and diagnosis excuses the behaviour. Quite clearly a lot of "Cycle Race Addiction Problems" going around this time of year.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

I'm sure creating 'non-conditions' like this is just a way to absolve crap parents

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Tis an odd one - at least the medical condition has the merit of being descriptive rather than moral. I've no idea whether such behaviour will always be indicative of a moral deficiency on the part of the child or the child's parents but being able to look at it from a non-judgemental perspective may be more constructive and less disruptive for both the child and the class as a whole.

That said, I have worked as a classroom assistant with a child diagnosed as having ADHD but my impression of his behaviour was that, with his elder brother already having a similar diagnosis, he had to be challenging because that was the only way he was going to get any attention. Copy-crap behaviour, as it were.

 

[Puddles]

Is that not also known as NLSS as we call it, Naughty Little Sod Syndrome?

 

[Night Train]

When I was at school I had an undiagnosed disorder that lead me to follow the school rules, act on given instructions, focus on specific subjects of study, slavishly read everything available to me, be unable to take part in ball sports, show no aggression or competitive behaviour, and make statements of facts I had learnt from reading encyclopedias.

Have since found out that I have an autistic spectrum disorder.


My first ever (voluntary) job, back in '82 was as a teaching assistant teaching maths to Special Educational Needs kids at school. In those days SEN kids were keen, worked hard, studied hard, and really wanted their abilities and qualifications to catch up with their peers. I always had a full class and the kids were always early and enthusiastic to get on with studying.
I was really proud to have taught 14 yo kids, who were still adding and subtracting with counters, how to do long division.

It's not quite the same nowadays is it?

 

[simon.r]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the "bible" of mental illness has recently been re-written, which means that all of a sudden a lot more people are classified with disorders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-5

 

[Ghost Donkey]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the "bible" of mental illness has recently been re-written, which means that all of a sudden a lot more people are classified with disorders.

I read The Truth About Drug Companies by Marcia Angell a while ago. Apparently when a new condition is classified a particular drug can be classed as some kind of official/recommended treatment by the DSA in America and the more expensive, patented drugs are pushed for huge profit. If the book is correct (it is well referenced and written by someone who is in a position to know) the steps taken to get new patented drugs out and onto prescriptions over current drugs is a massive for profit undertaking. With this in mind there is a strong push from companies whop make billions to get new conditions diagnosed. Or so I read.

I'd also agree with what User said .

 

[simon.r]

My first ever (voluntary) job, back in '82 was as a teaching assistant teaching maths to Special Educational Needs kids at school. In those days SEN kids were keen, worked hard, studied hard, and really wanted their abilities and qualifications to catch up with their peers. I always had a full class and the kids were always early and enthusiastic to get on with studying.
I was really proud to have taught 14 yo kids, who were still adding and subtracting with counters, how to do long division.

It's not quite the same nowadays is it?

My girlfriend's mother taught in an inner city school in the 50's / 60's and recalls teaching the 'dull and backward' class! Not all changes of name and identifying of disorders is daft.