Comments on: Ethnicity and diagnosis http://EBDBlog.com/2007/05/31/ethnicdiag/ News, commentary, resources, and more about Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:41:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Andrew Houvouras http://EBDBlog.com/2007/05/31/ethnicdiag/#comment-36643 Andrew Houvouras Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:06:30 +0000 http://EBDBlog.com/2007/05/31/ethnicdiag/#comment-36643 I, too, have witnessed 2 black students in the last year who went undiagnosed until later (both at 5). I think we'd be remiss if we fail to realize the impact of cultural factors. One mother thought her little girl was quiet, another mother thought her boy was just rambunctious ("Boys will be boys"). Furthermore, the distrust of institutions for some of our parents in minority communities leads to an opposition to testing and "labeling" (diagnosing). To close, the mother of the boy also took him to church and eventually, a faith healing service to try and cure him... even though she swore we (the school system) were trying to label him and nothing was wrong with him. I, too, have witnessed 2 black students in the last year who went undiagnosed until later (both at 5). I think we’d be remiss if we fail to realize the impact of cultural factors. One mother thought her little girl was quiet, another mother thought her boy was just rambunctious (”Boys will be boys”). Furthermore, the distrust of institutions for some of our parents in minority communities leads to an opposition to testing and “labeling” (diagnosing). To close, the mother of the boy also took him to church and eventually, a faith healing service to try and cure him… even though she swore we (the school system) were trying to label him and nothing was wrong with him.

]]> By: Anne Lace http://EBDBlog.com/2007/05/31/ethnicdiag/#comment-31797 Anne Lace Fri, 01 Jun 2007 23:00:52 +0000 http://EBDBlog.com/2007/05/31/ethnicdiag/#comment-31797 I honestly have been thinking that I would write my dissertation on the effects of how a medical dx effects an IEP team. I absolutely feel that minorities do get dx's later because many of my students lack medical insurance. Wealthy families tend to have all the testing done where I work. Then there is the fear to label minorities who have been in the past labeled wrongly (i.e., Hobson v. Hanssen and Larry P. v. Riles). As a teacher of 8th grade math students as well as a mother to a son that is autistic, I have been fortunate to have access to medical care as well as the inside-scoop about getting early intervention services for my son. Since teaching middle school, I have suspected two of my minority students with autism and did go to Child Study. Luckily the parents were supportive of this process but these students should not have had to wait until someone like me to come along. Schools really need to educate their teachers for the early signs. I constantly am educating my administrators and fellow teachers about autism; so many have misconnections about what autism is. I feel very strongly that these students could be much more ahead than when I got them. I also feel that some of these minorities students are getting labeled MR over autism because it is out in the community that autism is a white disorder. I am absolutely amazed when I hear miniorities say they did think autism could effect them. I honestly have been thinking that I would write my dissertation on the effects of how a medical dx effects an IEP team. I absolutely feel that minorities do get dx’s later because many of my students lack medical insurance. Wealthy families tend to have all the testing done where I work. Then there is the fear to label minorities who have been in the past labeled wrongly (i.e., Hobson v. Hanssen and Larry P. v. Riles).

As a teacher of 8th grade math students as well as a mother to a son that is autistic, I have been fortunate to have access to medical care as well as the inside-scoop about getting early intervention services for my son. Since teaching middle school, I have suspected two of my minority students with autism and did go to Child Study. Luckily the parents were supportive of this process but these students should not have had to wait until someone like me to come along. Schools really need to educate their teachers for the early signs. I constantly am educating my administrators and fellow teachers about autism; so many have misconnections about what autism is. I feel very strongly that these students could be much more ahead than when I got them.

I also feel that some of these minorities students are getting labeled MR over autism because it is out in the community that autism is a white disorder. I am absolutely amazed when I hear miniorities say they did think autism could effect them.

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