Labels, diagnoses and what they can hide
A genuine tension runs through the catalogue. The owners worry that labels, constant intervention and quick medication can teach a child that something is wrong with them and stop skill-building. Guests both reinforce this and push back, arguing that a diagnosis gives access and understanding.
How it developed: Starts as one host case study in 2019. From 2023 guests contest and deepen it, and it ends in 2026 as a capacity-building argument that accepts diagnosis in severe cases.
The thread's title and description are AI-written, drawn from the episodes below. The quotations are verbatim from the episode audio, each linked to the moment it was said.
What was said
“We advised Charlie's parents that the constant assistance, repeated psychoeducational testing, and arguably intense therapies had reached a point of reinforcing only one message in Charlie, that there was something wrong with him.”
“And when you take away neurodiversity from that term disability, you're actually removing people from their right to be able to access accommodations.”
“one of the big things people say is, I don't want to give my child a label. But you need to understand you're not giving your child the label, you are empowering yourself because you understand what you're dealing with.”
“no kid should be put on medication unless you've taken a really good history about their sleep.”
“once we have the label, we stop building the skills because we've got an excuse not to do it. For example, reading. Kids with dyslexia say, I can't read. You can learn to read. It's a mechanical process.”
“we live in a world now of over-medicalization. We look for a diagnosis as soon as we feel discontented or unhappiness, or there must be something wrong that we can put a label on. Because if we can put a label on it, we can give it a pill.”
Episodes in this thread
- Edu Inc Case Study | Charlie's story 14 February 2019
- The difference that makes the difference 10 August 2021
- Disability inclusion in education 17 October 2023
- NeuroDiverse Journeys: Embracing Challenges, Celebrating Triumphs | Nicola and Jo 19 November 2023
- Sleep and ADHD: The link you cannot ignore 14 April 2025
- Unrested Minds: A Teen’s Journey Through ADHD and Sleep 22 May 2025
- Myth Busting IEB Accommodations with Dr. Claire Yorke 8 September 2025
- Capacity Building | Candice Yorke, Counselling Psychologist 19 February 2026