Many diagnoses given to children are accurate – and for some conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is indisputable neurological evidence.
That being said, we must remain aware of misdiagnosis, which is often preventable if we are trauma-informed.
Underlying causes of painful life experiences, particularly trauma and loss, can fuel challenging or disturbing behaviour and awkward ways of relating to others. These painful life experiences can result in symptomatology very similar to some of the most common child diagnoses.
My worry is that after a diagnosis, people assume that this is the answer, so the painful events in the child’s life that may be triggering his or her behaviour remain unheard.
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