Labels

I have been thinking about labels.  Labels tell us what is inside of a container, like chicken noodle soup or canned spinach.  The label describes the contents.  We would be pretty disappointed if we thought we were opening a can of chicken noodle soup for lunch and we got spinach instead.  We need a label.  My kids put labels on their belongings so they are not lost at school.  The label indicates ownership- and yet my kids still lose their backpacks and hats.  Labels are used to identify status or position, such as Team Captain or District Manager.  The label describes the individual's role or duties.  Labels are given to children's disorders and challenges to tell parents and professionals what to expect from that child and how the child might be affected in the future.  But these labels can be deceiving and their purpose is not as clear as the others.

I hate these labels.  While I understand the necessity of identifying medical disorders so treatment can occur, I resist the idea that a child's skills and potential can be captured in a label.  Cancer-yes.  Cerebral Palsy-yes. Autism-yes.  By all means, give parents these terms for their child's condition so they can help their child get the best treatment possible.  What about Angie's recently applied label, Intellectual Disability?  In 2010, President Obama signed "Rosa's Law" which forbid the term Mental Retardation in federal statutes and replaced it with the term Intellectual Disability.  So, know you know.  Angie has deficits in her ability to learn and in her self-help skills.  Yep, she is functioning with half of the brain matter that the rest of us have so she would definitely been impaired in these areas.  But do we need the label?  What is the benefit?  She has more than one diagnosis already so one more is not going to provide access to additional services for her.

Recently I read of a child who was denied occupational therapy services by her insurance company and the justification given was "no observable potential".  What?  Whoever wrote that should be ashamed of themselves.  The plasticity of the brain is amazing and I believe that a child's potential is unlimited, regardless of their circumstances.  We simply do not know what he, or she can achieve.  I am not in denial.  I see Angie's challenges and I am realistic about her limits.  I also see her drive to keep up with her peers and to engage with them in a meaningful way.  I see her often stoic approach to the ongoing medical interventions she endures.  I see her find ways to participate in  activities that the require two hands using only one.  I see her unbelievingly caring heart and her empathy, asking me several times each day, "Mom, are you okay?".  I see her and I know her strength and potential.  It is unlimited.

I believe that labels invite generalization and stereotypes.  I urge you to see beyond the labels and see the person.  See their potential and their spirit.  Encourage them to reach for the stars and applaud them when they succeed.  Anything is possible.