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How Bad Science and Good Public Relations Created the Diagnosis "Childhood"

Corey Hayes

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Published in Your Child Does Not Have Bipolar Disorder: How Bad Science And Good Public Relations Created The Diagnosis (Childhood In America)

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The concept of childhood is a relatively recent invention. For most of human history, children were simply seen as small adults. They were expected to work, marry, and have children at a young age. Only in the 19th century did the idea of childhood as a distinct stage of life begin to emerge.

Your Child Does Not Have Bipolar Disorder: How Bad Science and Good Public Relations Created the Diagnosis (Childhood in America)

by Stuart L Kaplan M.D.

4.2 out of 5

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There were a number of factors that contributed to this change in thinking. One was the rise of Romanticism, which emphasized the importance of innocence and imagination. Another was the Industrial Revolution, which led to a decline in child labor and an increase in the amount of time children spent in school.

As the idea of childhood became more widespread, so too did the diagnosis of "childhood." In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a number of doctors and psychologists began to argue that children were fundamentally different from adults, and that they required special care and treatment.

These ideas were eagerly embraced by a number of social reformers, who saw the diagnosis of childhood as a way to justify a range of policies and practices designed to protect children from the dangers of the adult world.

One of the most influential of these reformers was G. Stanley Hall, a psychologist who founded the first child study laboratory in the United States. Hall argued that children were recapitulated recapitulated the history of the human race, passing through a series of stages that mirrored the evolution of the species.

Hall's ideas were widely disseminated through his books and lectures, and they had a profound impact on the way that children were viewed and treated in the early 20th century.

The diagnosis of childhood has been used to justify a wide range of policies and practices, from compulsory schooling to the juvenile justice system. It has also been used to create a market for a variety of products and services aimed at children.

Today, the concept of childhood is so ingrained in our culture that it is difficult to imagine a time when it did not exist. However, as we have seen, the diagnosis of childhood is a relatively recent invention, and it is one that has been shaped by a variety of social, cultural, and economic factors.

The Problem with the Diagnosis of Childhood

The diagnosis of childhood has a number of problems. First, it is based on a false dichotomy between children and adults. In reality, there is a continuum of development between childhood and adulthood, and no one point at which a child becomes an adult.

Second, the diagnosis of childhood can be stigmatizing. It can lead to children being seen as less capable than adults, and it can make it difficult for them to be taken seriously.

Third, the diagnosis of childhood can be used to justify a range of harmful policies and practices. For example, compulsory schooling laws are often justified on the grounds that children need to be protected from the dangers of the adult world. However, these laws can actually have a number of negative consequences for children, such as increased stress and anxiety, and reduced creativity and self-reliance.

Alternatives to the Diagnosis of Childhood

There are a number of alternatives to the diagnosis of childhood. One is to simply recognize that children are people, and that they should be treated with the same respect and dignity as adults.

Another alternative is to focus on the individual needs of children, rather than on their age. This means providing children with the support and resources they need to develop and thrive, without forcing them into a predetermined mold.

Finally, we can challenge the idea that childhood is a time of innocence and vulnerability. Children are capable of great things, and they should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The diagnosis of childhood is a flawed and outdated concept. It is based on a false dichotomy between children and adults, it can be stigmatizing, and it can be used to justify a range of harmful policies and practices.

It is time to move beyond the diagnosis of childhood and to recognize that children are people, with the same rights and responsibilities as adults.

Your Child Does Not Have Bipolar Disorder: How Bad Science and Good Public Relations Created the Diagnosis (Childhood in America)

by Stuart L Kaplan M.D.

4.2 out of 5