If I had the means and knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field, I would choose to look into diagnosing and working with children who have learning “disorders” or difficulties. Today, many children are quickly diagnosed with a “learning disorder” such as ADHD and given medication as a treatment. I would love to be able to look into this topic and see what answers research could provide. Maybe there are different techniques that parents and teachers could use rather than medication, maybe certain behaviors are present from a young age and early intervention could help. A long term study could show the consequences-both negative and positive-from medications that are associated with and used to “treat” children with learning difficulties. It would also be interesting to find out if there is a more effective process that could be used in diagnosing learning difficulties from an early age so that appropriate supports and resources can be provided to the child and family and so that misdiagnoses do not occur.
I think that research such as this would be beneficial to children, families and educators because it could help develop new strategies to enhance and support a young child's development and educational experiences. Other positive benefits could include new knowledge about learning difficulties and the best strategies for working with them, effective supports and resources, and appropriate interventions that could help foster positive development in the child and help them succeed in an educational setting.
Jen,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about children being labeled with a leanring disorder and quickly put on medication. There has to be other ways of helping children without giving them medication right from the start. I can see trying something and then if it doesn't work then going another route. However, I am a parent of a child that was diagnosed with depression at the age of 15 and medication was the BEST thing I could have done for him. I watched a child go from being #3 in his 8th grade class to failing 4 classesthe first semester 9th grade. We tried counseling, group therapy, the Scared Straight program and the medication was the last resort. Thank God is he got on track and living his life tothe fullest. Parents have to be involved and the children need positive role models ato help thrm throughout the process.
Hi Lori,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you and your son were able to find a solution that worked for him! You are right, there are many things that can be done to help children struggling with learning difficulties and sometimes medication may be the best answer. The research that I am imagining would help find the consequences-both negative and positive-of medication and alternative strategies. Overall, like you said, parental involvement plays a big role and I am sure that research would support this! To be honest, I do not know much about this area of development and education, that is why I am interested in it...thank you for sharing some of the strategies you have experience with and thank you so much for sharing your story with me! :)
Jen,
ReplyDeleteI think you are right that most parents are not aware of what to do when their child is diagnosed with a disorder or delay. They are not experts in that area, and most of the time neither are their class teachers. Unless parents are given accurate and appropriate advice and knowledge on steps and measures to take they will just follow any advice given to them by anyone. This can lead to parents resulting to unnecessary solutions because they don't know what else to do. I agree that if more research is done in this area, then more parents will have access to informative resources.
Hey Jen,I agree with you.I have a nephew that has speech delay and the first thing they wanted to label him with my sister as being slow. He is nine years old now and is doing very well in school because she found all kind of assistance that could help him.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea about researching children with disabilities. My fantasy research was similar. I can honestly say that over my last 10 years working with children, there have been atleast two children per class diagnosed with a disorder. I am anti medicating children immediantly after diagnosis. I think that other methods need to be tried before medication is perscribed.
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