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are falling through the cracks for various reasons. If a child is properly diagnosed, then subsequently labeled, then children wouldn't get "left behind". The school system would serve a reinforcement to therapy, education, and resourcefulness at home.

A negative impact of labeling a child is disintegration of his/her self-esteem. In defense of special needs children, I just have to say that these are some of the most positive individuals I've ever known. Some of them have higher self-esteems than most typical children. I believe that the best way to prevent this depreciation of the child's self-esteem is to nurture them at home to believe that they're still valuable individuals despite their condition/diagnosis/label. If belittling, making fun of, insulting, teasing, or otherwise negatively bestowing attention or attracting attention to a child because of something he can't control is thwarted and discouraged and deemed "uncool", then I think that a lot of the negative stigma attached to labeling a child would stop or at least wane. Then, you could chalk it up to the teaser's ignorance or insecurity. Then, let that special needs child do what he/she CAN do, and foster/nurture him despite his condition/diagnosis/LABEL.

Alte rnative phrases that can be used are the following:
Instead of saying, "Down Syndrome" child, replace that with "a child who has Down
Syndrome".

Instead of saying, "CP child", replace that with "a child who has CP". (CP is an
abbreviation that stands for cerebral palsy, which simply means slowness of the brain's
function. This is a catch-all diagnosis that refers to any condition/disease that is a
result of the brain not functioning properly or being slow in processing.

As a final word, the label doesn't define the child. The child is still an individual, no matter "what's wrong" with him/her. Making sure that child knows is the most important thing you can do.

Learn more about this author, Kimberly Chitwood.
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