Actually, while the label clumsy child label might not
be politically correct if you read farther it does
state that it is an actual issue of the brain not
being able to figure out proper motor sequence. It's a
little more than a kid not making try-outs.It's about
handwriting,as well as cooridation and it is a very
real disorder. Having said that I whole heartily agree
with you about some of these labels being applied to
liberally to any and every kid. Alex has been tested
for seizures throughout his life. They have never
caught one on an EGG. His neurologist however saw an
episode in person and declared it a seizure and set up
further testing which of course didn't capture
anything. His episodes are pretty brief but he doesn't
take in anything going around him when he has an
episode, They can happen several times a day and last
up to 3 minutes. His Neuro has suggested that since
nothing shows he should be tested for ADD because he
is highly distracted by sound. I thought it was
important to mention to the doc that( it's in his
charts and makes up a chart in itself)that he has very
poor vision due to ROP and strabismus and that sound
is more his clue to whats going on in the world than
vision. She sort of backed down then but still
recommended the neuropsych testing. I don't mind an
ADD label for Alex but I want to make sure that
whatever services he gets in school is geared towards
what is holding him back from learning and performing
the required tasks. It could be his
vision,spasticity,physical pain from a wrong seating
arrangement. None would be addressed by an ADD label
and ADD wouldn't be addressed by therapy for any of
the above conditions.
I do think parents that are up on the special services
and procedures can clog up the system as well, My 16
year old had something like 70 students in his grade(
spread over 3 classrooms) LD was an hot issue when he
was in second grade. Jack has mild LD and there is a
family history of it as well. In his class 46 kids
were dx with LD's. Awfully high percentage. I was
shocked when one mom told me she pushed for the label
and coached the kid to do not as well as he could so
he could get 1:1 help( she thought it  would be like
private tutoring)Not  much private tutoring when you
have to fit in 46 kids for service and that is only
one grade. Jack was taught enough compensation skills
that he was written out of the resource room in Middle
school. I was delighted which shocked the spec ed
director. He said that most parents fight to keep the
label for the services and the kids are graded easier(
need those higher grades to get into college). I think
it is sad. Jack has maintained his high grades( he as
a 3.5 as a HS sophmore) and I think he is ahead
because he is making it on his own now. I wonder how
those other kids fare once they leave the coccon of
special services? It really is a  fine line knowing
what is ability( or lack of it) and what is a
disability.
Joanne
--- Salkin Kathleen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> You know, when I first read that term yesterday, I
> thought, "You've got to
> be kidding."  Then I read some of the articles that
> came up after doing a
> search on Google.  I'm still in a state of
> disbelief.
>
> I suppose there're medical reasons for this, but I'm
> left with wondering
> what if a kid is simply clumsy?  Does he get slapped
> with this unnecessary
> and potentially-damaging label?  I can just see it
> now - "Did he fail at
> football tryouts?  Let's get him to the doctor,
> maybe he has "Clumsy Child
> Syndrome!" I don't mean to disparage the ones who
> are actually clumsy due to
> a medical condition, but when does something that's
> a natural part of
> growing up become a disability?  And of course there
> are those children who
> actually do have something like CP who could've been
> helped far sooner if
> not diverted with false diagnoses  like these.
>
> Kat
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Betty B" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 9:05 AM
> Subject: Re: up around the bend-------
>
>
> > In a message dated 2/1/2002 4:39:48 PM Eastern
> Standard Time,
> > [log in to unmask] writes:
> >
> >
> > > There is a syndrome called
> > > clumsy child syndrome aka:
> > > Dyspraxia/Apraxia/Developmental Coordination
> Disorder.
> > >
> > Gee, why don't I like that term -- Clumsy Child
> Syndrome?  There also used
> to
> > be a term used to describe "funny looking"
> children.  Does that sound
> > familiar to anyone?  I can't remember where I read
> this, but I think it
> was a
> > term that was not publically used.


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