Don't you hate it when a juicy blog post dies on you? Here's one that's done just that. This is what I wrote earlier.
I thought I'd open a little can of worms here. I'm going to report a conversation I had with 10-yo the other day, and not reflect on it at all, but see what you all think. I suppose that's a bit disingenuous, since by posting the conversation at all, I am implying that I think there's an issue here. But I'm not sure what my opinion is, and it would be a very uninformed opinion in any case (though that doesn't usually stop me) so I thought I'd just ask and see what you all think.
Him: Mum, do I have ADHD?
Me: No, you don't. Why do you ask?
Him: Lots of fourth graders do.
Me: They do? How many kids in your class have ADHD?
Him: Oh, six, I think. [out of a class of 17]
Me: So do they take medication, or do they have special routines, or what?
Him: Some take medication, but I don't really know much about it. I just wondered if I had it too.
What do you make of that conversation?
That would have made for a good discussion, wouldn't it? Trouble is, I casually threw a question over my shoulder, just as I was finishing up.
"10-yo, how many kids in your class did you say had ADHD?"
Must have been some journalistic instinct that made me want to check my facts.
"I dunno."
"You said 6, the other day."
"I think it's just one. And one or two in the other class."
"You said 6, I think."
"That was an exaggeration. Why do you want to know?"
Bother. Or as we say in blogging circles, aaaaargh...
.
Ah, kids. Don't you just love them! Consistency and adherence to the facts!!
ReplyDeleteThat did seem rather a lot...... though nothing would surprise me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a small class compared to ours over here.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
It wouldn't have surprised me, either, we're so eager to label people. It's an over-diagnosed condition. I firmly believe that many children "diagnosed" with ADD/ADHD are really being diagnosed with Childhood.
ReplyDeleteIt's very common, though 6 out of 17 would be super high I am sure!
ReplyDeleteI'd never really heard of it till moving here but I know quite a few kids with it and it's hard for them and the families, without being taught some coping techniques or being on meds. And the meds have to be given by a psychiatrist too, not just a GP, so it's *usually* properly diagnosed as far as I can tell.
(As for class sizes, that's small compared to a lot of US, Maggie. My kids are in classes of 25 and 28)
I had a converstation with our principal the other day and she said when kids come out with "facts" especially statistics, she usually halves the number at the very least. And when they said someone "always" does something, that usually means 'sometimes'.
ReplyDeleteKids and exaggeration, bit like us really!!!!
ReplyDeleteKids love exaggeration - remember how we used to talk about millions and zillions of things?. Mine always want to know what 'the biggest number' is, so they can use it. So everything is 'infinity' times.
ReplyDeleteHi nice to meet you. Jody here living in CA, came through ExPat Mum. This sounds like a running conversation of my day. And when I was a journalist in London for 15 years sometimes I would hear (In the pub) "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story." Course I would never have said that. no, no..
ReplyDeleteI never exaggerate. Ever. NevereverevereverEVER.
ReplyDelete3 yo's exaggerating number is five. Which is never quite big enough or quite small enough to be really effective. But it's funny.
NVK, mine always want to make infinity bigger - so add, multiply it etc...sure we did the same...
My daughter is convinced that six and one are the same thing - so perhaps it's a kid-speak to adult-speak translation issue? Or transitory ADHD, I hear that is going around this season.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog earlier. Great to discover yours.
~M
One or six it is sad reflection on society when children are being labelled and/or living in fear of being labelled. And how on earth can a child understand what ADHD means? Or an adult come to that?
ReplyDeleteI agree with ButMadNNW
Arrghghgh indeed.
ReplyDeleteTattie - are you suggesting that we occasionally exaggerate?! Us??? Never.