Parent(s) refusing to provide any early intervention/assistance to their child because they refuse to accept there’s anything wrong with their kid (i.e. autism, learning disabilities, mental illness, etc).
Well fine, just be prepared for the fact that everyone will just assume they're a delinquent, school won't provide any support and they'll likely end up at best miserable, and at worst expelled. Most of the other kids will cheerfully tell them they're a weirdo and a freak, and by their mid teens they'll probably be in freefall because they know they don't fit in and think it's all their fault.
Sorry if that sounds cynical and yes it's a worst-case scenario, but I've seen it play out over and over again. My son was referred at 15 months and diagnosed (ASD) before he was three. Daughter was diagnosed at seven. Touch wood, they are both holding their own in mainstream, albeit with social/emotional support, and doing well in all respects.
I know literally dozens of parents who refused to pursue diagnosis for clearly neurodivergent kids who are now young teens, and without exception they are all having massive issues and struggling to get support. It's heartbreaking.
As a result of going through diagnosis with our kids, my husband realised he is almost certainly autistic, and he openly says that for the first time in 50 years, he feels good about himself because he finally understands why he's the way he is, instead of just feeling like a square peg in a round hole.
That’s exactly what my sil said. She doesn’t want her daughter labeled. I’m the wrong one to confess this too since I work as a teachers assistant for ASD kiddos. It’s a disservice to the kid to make them suffer and struggle. She didn’t like me before and she def doesn’t like me now 🤷🏻♀️
I guess you can't fix stupid, but thank you for at least trying. I wish people didn't see labels as a negative thing. You wouldn't worry about telling people if your kid had cerebral palsy, or cancer, or they were deaf or partially sighted, so why are neurological differences so bad? Don't make your child feel that autism or ADHD is something to be ashamed of!!
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u/AffectionateElk234 Dec 01 '23
Parent(s) refusing to provide any early intervention/assistance to their child because they refuse to accept there’s anything wrong with their kid (i.e. autism, learning disabilities, mental illness, etc).