Do you think we're too quick to diagnose kids as having some sort of emotional issue?

One of the litigants on Judge Judy said her five year old was diagnosed with autism at the age of one. That’s just crazy (Judge Judy thought so too.) I think we are too quick to “label” kids as having “problems.” I wonder if the incidence of ADD and autism etc. would drop significantly if the parents didn’t get social security payments for their “disabled” kids every month.

I could have easily gotten my son diagnosed as hyperactive…but I figured that’s just the way he was and he’d get over it eventually! I figured if he got in enough trouble, enough times, for acting so impulsively he’d learn how to control himself. And he did.

I once took my daughter for counseling because she was having a very difficult time dealing with some of the stuff that was in her life. Within 15 minutes the counselor ‘diagnosed’ her with depression, autism and ADD. It was insane.

I think that any kid could be found to be “suffering” from some disorder or another, because they’re kids.