discussions

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-lifespandevelopment/chapter/module/

https://youtu.be/YcQg1EshfIE

Part 1. Main Entry:  Post a brief analysis of what you have learned from this week’s readings and activities.  Start a new thread, and place the header -- Name's Main Entry (e.g.,  Rick’s Main Entry) at the top.  Within the body of your post, clearly identify each segment of the required response in order to facilitate discussion development.

a.   This week’s great takeaway:  What concept or theory did you find most interesting this week?  Why?

b.  Diagnostic labels:  As you read the chapters on childhood, you may notice that the process of diagnosing and labeling children is changing.  Both labels of autism and fetal alcohol syndrome have now been replaced with “autism spectrum disorders” and “fetal alcohol spectrum disorders”, respectively.

1) What thoughts to you have on why these changes have occurred?

2) What impact does labeling a child with a diagnosis have on that child? What are the advantages, disadvantages, and consequences?  Support this element of your discussion by posting an article, blog page, video, or other informational resource. 

Part 2. Post Constructive Peer Feedback: In addition to posting your thoughts to the main entry questions, respond to at least TWO (2) of your classmates’ entries.  In 3 or more sentences, provide constructive feedback.  Do you have some additional thoughts on the topic?  Share them.  When providing your feedback present the logic behind it.

Classmate 1:

a. I was very excited to learn all about lifespan development during the childhood stage since this is the age group that I want to work with as a school counselor. The concepts that I found most interesting this week were found on the page titled "Learning and Intelligence." I thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning all about the controversies over testing in schools, the different theories of intelligence, and the world of school from different perspectives. It was specifically interesting to read about the politics in the school system and the studies conducted by Lareau and Horvat (2004). 

b. I believe that these changes have occurred due to there being many different disorders being discovered under the more broad categories of the autism spectrum disorders and the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. For example, Asperger's Syndrome falls under the ASD category, but it is a milder form of ASD, and there are more severe cases of ASD as well (Lumen, 2020). It is not fair to associate every child that possesses symptoms of autism as simply just "autistic," we have developed different disorders and levels of autism and fetal alcohol syndrome to accommodate all of the disorders that may emerge from these diagnoses. 

The impacts of labeling a child with these diagnoses can be life-altering. As mentioned in the text, a child's difficulties can change over time and they may improve or their delays during their school years may not be relevant during adulthood but these labels will still follow them for the rest of their life. Not to mention, it may contribute to low self-esteem and lack of confidence. One article from Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall discusses the advantages and disadvantages of labeling students with learning disabilities. Some of the advantages, according to Henley et al. (n.d.) include: the development of specialized teaching methods, assessment approaches, and behavioral interventions and federal and local funding for special education programs. Some of the disadvantages are that students are unable to receive these special education services without being labeled, labeling comes with blame and guilt not only for the student but for the parents as well, there is questionable validity and reliability for evaluation across different states putting some students at a disadvantage and causing overrepresentation for some. 

References:

Lumen. (2020). Lifespan Development. Lumen Learning.  https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-lifespandevelopment/chapter/developmental-problems/

Henley, M., Ramsey, R. S., and Algozzine, R. F. (n.d.). Labeling and disadvantages of labeling. Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall.  http://people.uncw.edu/robertsonj/SEC210/Labeling.pdf

Classmate 2:

This week’s great takeaway:  What concept or theory did you find most interesting this week?  Why?

The concept of concrete operational by Piaget discusses the act of children continue to learn through symbolically to extend logical and problem solving. Even though children might not fully understand observation and become naïve from realization. The reading uses an example of a child observing her friends as “rude” which classified that all her friends as “rude” (Lumen,2020). The child uses inductive reasoning to group her friends with one characteristic of “rudeness”. However, as children develop, they began to distinguish between factual vs nonfactual concept using deductive reasoning effectively (Lumen, 2020).

1) What thoughts to you have on why these changes have occurred?

I appreciate the change to reduce stigma for children to receive accurate treatment to identify areas of diagnosis. I believe that the DSM 5 has recognized the changes in complex interventions so redefine provides accuracy in treatment planning.

2) I used to work as a case manager where I attended IEP meetings with families to coordinate academic with therapeutic services to promote wraparound approach. The IEP process provide an educational and psychological scope of the child’s limitation to perform effectively in the classroom. IEP team use feedback from family history, medical, teachers, case manager/social worker and psychologist to generate a data report to conclude a diagnosis. The important factor is to reduce misdiagnosis, underdiagnosis or overdiagnosis to ensure that the child receive the proper educational placement and in school supports. I’ve observed schools that acknowledge the factor domains where the child receives recommended benefits in occupational therapy, counseling, speech, teacher aid support base of the diagnostic. The child was able to receive support from an effective IEP assessment to extend educational value. On the hand, I observed IEP meeting where data wasn’t congruent with the child’s background which provided misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. As a result, the parent requested a amend IEP assessment to petition accurate educational planning which delay the implementation of supportive services. I learned when parents don’t understand their rights or acknowledge concerns prior to signing the IEP it delays in school supports. I also coordinate families with SPAN educational advocacy program to participate in meetings to ensure parents understand the process.

Lumen Learning (2020). Lifespan development. Retrieved from:  https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-lifespandevelopment/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcWWuFQAfFI