is this ethical?

[run]

Is it ethical to tell a student's parent that you think he/she has ADD or some other type of learning hindrance?

I remember in preschool my teacher told my mom I had a learning disability for some dumb reason and I ended up being top kid in my class in first grade.

 

[Wiley45]

If a teacher tells parents information like this with the intent to get a child the help he or she needs, I think it's perfectly ethical. I'd have a much bigger ethical problem with a teacher who suspected a learning disability in a student and didn't bother to tell the parents. When children are young, parents have a right to know these things in order to make decisions that are best suited for the child.

 

[Phantonym]

The teachers might notice something the parents don't so I think it's ok to mention that there might be some concerns. This way the parents could start observing their kid more closely and if they do notice something, they can start looking for ways to help the kid.

Edit: Jewelchild beat me to it

 

[Wiley45]

Great minds, Sky.

 

[Phantonym]

Indeed, Jewel.

 

[run]

I can just see a parent going "how dare you say such a thing. I live with the kid, and I think I'd know"

 

[Phantonym]

I can just see a parent going "how dare you say such a thing. I live with the kid, and I think I'd know"

Yes, it's the initial "What are you talking about, my kid is perfect!" reaction. But when it subsides, the parent will most likely start to observe their kid more closely and maybe see some things that they did not notice before.

 

[Wiley45]

It's not necessarily true that the parent would know best in this situation. Teachers are specifically trained to pick up on these sorts of things, and teachers also work with the child for longer periods of time in an academic environment. Granted, they may be wrong sometimes, or they may just dislike a student. However, no parent knows and sees everything, and a wise parent should be open to the opinions and assessments of others, especially educated, qualified individuals.

That being said, parents can still make decisions based on what they think or sense is the best thing for their kid. Some people give me advice about my child, and even though I don't like it, I realize there is truth in it and I should pay attention. Others give me advice, and after thinking it over, I dismiss everything they've said as ridiculous. But still, it's better to at least bring a concern to the parent's attention so they can decide what to do about it.

 

[Synthetic Darkness]

Hey a teacher suspected my older brother of having ADHD he ended up being highly intellectually gifted and just awfully bored with what he was learning (or rather relearning) in kndergarden. I think it's the job of any teacher whether they teach preschool or high school to observe the child in order for that child to get the help they need. Teachers are with the students for a good part of the day 5 days a week so of course they would pick up on something that a parent might not pick up on. Especially in families where both parents are working or in a single parent situation where the parent works multiple jobs.

 

[Alwar]

Warning: kids who are independent and thoughtful often get labeled with behavioral problems and learning disorders.

 

[run]

Warning: kids who are independent and thoughtful often get labeled with behavioral problems and learning disorders.

Yeah. The deficit perspective.

 

[Wiley45]

Much easier to shove pills in their mouths than take on the challenge of figuring out how to best serve their needs and keep them intellectually stimulated.

 

[BlackCat]

Warning: kids who are independent and thoughtful often get labeled with behavioral problems and learning disorders.

That's what happened to me.

To answer the thread, do it. If it's that bad then you might just want to add in that it's a concern of yours about the child's grades and future. That is if he really does have a learning disability.

 

[Qre:us]

Is it ethical to tell a student's parent that you think he/she has ADD or some other type of learning hindrance?

I remember in preschool my teacher told my mom I had a learning disability for some dumb reason and I ended up being top kid in my class in first grade.

It's unprofessional (which, I guess someone can make a case towards 'unethical' on those grounds?). The teacher is not qualified to give such clinical diagnosis. The teacher though is responsible and qualified to suggest to your mother that she thinks you MAY have ADD and refer you/your mom to school counsellors, child psychologist, etc., who are qualified to help give concrete answers in this domain. Her being conclusive about her hypothesis was not very professional.

 

[ergophobe]

^ This. Nobody but a trained psychologist should make the diagnosis after proper testing.

Yet, teachers see a lot more children and they also see children an environment where attention is key. So, if they notice the child is having trouble, they should bring it to the attention of the parent as a suggestion that perhaps they may want to get the child tested. Also just opens up a conversation with the parent that may bring up other things that may be going on at home that could be affecting the child's attention/learning at school.

If the diagnosis is done, in the long run, it's best for the child and will lead to less frustration about his/her own performance. If the diagnosis does not come through in a test, the parents are still better equipped to provide more stimulation or a better learning environment for the child.

ADD/ADHD and intellectual giftedness are not mutually exclusive. In many cases highly gifted children and adults may have ADD. The attention disorder does not take away the ability to function altogether (only in extreme circumstances) and there are periods of hyperfocus where the child/adult may have very good focus on a subject that motivates them. Overall though it leads to higher processing time when spread across different tasks with varying motivation. This would be especially frustrating to a child with high intellectual ability and processing times as they are working harder than their peers to get fairly simple yet mundane tasks completed. Abilities are poorly matched with achievement. Drugs are rarely the only suggestion given anyway. In most cases, a better structured environment could make as much difference.

 

[stellar renegade]

I don't think ADD/ADHD are even real. My parents took me to the doctor to find out if I had it and he said I was fine. I had struggles in school and all but eventually I just realized it's cuz I'm an SP. We can't pay attention to boring stuff, it goes against our very nature. It's not cuz we're not good at school, it's cuz school isn't good for us. If anything, there needs to be a different way to teach kids that takes their personality into account.

Anyway, just read this.

 

[sculpting]

I am with ergo and Q. Th teacher should make an observation but then refer the parents to a counselor.

My son was diagnosed adhd in first grade. He took meds till fifth grade.

He is a super crazy ass Ne like me and never sat still and was all over the place. At 13 he has slowed down substantially physically but it still mentally a bit spastic.

Yes the meds helped improve his focus, handwriting, ability to concentrate, and all that stuff. However our school system is so highly SJ driven that is was very difficult for him to cope. He felt like a failure.

However what a diagnosis gives you is the ability to go in fighting like hell against the school system.

 

[Wiley45]

(Regarding the way in which the teacher tells parents, I just assumed it was a given that a teacher would present the idea as a suspicion but not a certainty and suggest that the child see a specialist.)

I don't think ADD/ADHD are even real. My parents took me to the doctor to find out if I had it and he said I was fine. I had struggles in school and all but eventually I just realized it's cuz I'm an SP. We can't pay attention to boring stuff, it goes against our very nature. It's not cuz we're not good at school, it's cuz school isn't good for us. If anything, there needs to be a different way to teach kids that takes their personality into account.

Anyway, just read this.

I'm not ready to write off the possibility of ADD/ADHD completely, but if it is real, it's overdiagnosed at an alarming rate. All the people I know who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD were dealing with one of the following situations when diagnosed:

-a trauma or difficult life adjustment
-a lack of attention and caring from their parents/guardians
-too much intelligence to be challenged in their current environment
-a personality/learning style that didn't fit well in the system.

 

[stellar renegade]

-too much intelligence to be challenged in their current environment
-a personality/learning style that didn't fit well in the system.

Bingo. That's what my problem always was.

 

[sculpting]

my kids best year was second grade whren he took no meds.

his teacher was this crazy ass enfp hippie who lived on a farm.

There was a teepee in the middle of the classroom and after he finished his work he could sit under his desk and play with legos. They sang the "we are a happy family" song everyday for attendenca all gathered around sitting on the floor holding hands in a circle. She had drums all over the classroom and masks and art covering the entire place. If the kids were not good they had to "leave the classroom family" until they could calm down and then they got hugs for coming back again.

Instead of a christmas/holiday party they had a black out party with dark/black foods to celebrate the winter solstice.

He did no homework at all that year. It was awesome.

However you could tell one kid drove her nuts-I think he was an ISTP