Parents Refuse Child Diagnosis, Called 'Wickedness and Escapism'
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Rabbi Asher Grossman criticized parents who refuse diagnostic assessments for struggling children, calling it "wickedness" and "escapism." He argued that diagnoses are essential tools for understanding and helping children overcome academic and developmental challenges, akin to medical diagnostics. Grossman stated that refusing a diagnosis prevents effective intervention and prolongs a child's suffering, urging parents to adopt a more proactive approach.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Asher Grossman criticized parents for refusing diagnostic assessments for struggling children.
- He called the refusal 'wickedness' and a 'flight from reality'.
- Grossman likened the diagnostic process to essential medical or mechanical checks.
- He stated that diagnoses provide a roadmap for helping children succeed.
- The rabbi urged parents to change their approach to benefit their children.
A rabbi and educator is criticizing parents who refuse to have their children undergo diagnostic assessments when facing academic difficulties. Rabbi Asher Grossman, writing for Talmudo Torah "Raz-Li" in Bnei Brak, described a recent meeting with parents of a nine-year-old boy whose academic performance and reports from teachers indicated significant struggles. Grossman proposed a diagnostic assessment to understand the child's abilities, attention span, perception, strengths, and weaknesses.
However, the parents immediately refused, a reaction Grossman called "common" and a "flight from reality." He explained that many parents believe diagnoses inevitably lead to medication, a notion he dismisses as "ignorance" and "burying one's head in the sand." He likened the situation to a dentist treating a painful tooth without an X-ray or a mechanic fixing a car's electrical system without a computer diagnostic.
Grossman emphasized that a diagnosis serves as a "tool" that provides a realistic picture of a child's challenges and offers a roadmap for intervention. He stated that the child is the primary beneficiary, experiencing fewer difficulties and achieving more successes. He compared it to a "light for one walking in the dark" or a "Waze for those lost in a dense forest."
While acknowledging that not every difficulty warrants a diagnosis, Grossman asserted that a pattern of struggles leading to an unhappy child necessitates one. He reiterated that even if medication is recommended, it's only one part of a comprehensive assessment, which provides valuable data for adults to help the child. He concluded by calling the refusal to diagnose "wickedness" toward the child, prolonging their suffering instead of offering help, and urged parents to change their approach for their own and their child's benefit.