Mar 25, 2019, Fargo (ND) Inforum: Letter: Most children's behavioral issues stem from trauma https://www.inforum.com/opinion/letters/1351441-Letter-Most-childrens-behavioral-issues-stem-from-trauma I am writing in response to Darlajean Harlow’s letter to the editor on May 24th expressing that parents should be held accountable for their children’s behavior. I do not know any specific details about the children who harmed the staff or property at Fargo Public Schools. However, I do know that nine times out of 10 when we see behavior issues that it is likely the result of trauma that the child has experienced and their behavior is a manifestation of that trauma. It is sadly true that children who have been neglected and abused by their parents or caregiver will often times have extreme behaviors as a result of that abuse. Some of these children still live with their biological parents and some of these children live with foster and/or adoptive parents. … It is exhausting to work with children who have behavior issues. Behind almost every single child who acts out is a parent who is doing their very best to parent that child. I am not claiming that there shouldn’t be accountability for the harm caused to the staff and property at the school. There should be. Instead of blaming the parent I would encourage the public to try to consider that there might be more to these types of situations than what meets the eye. Instead of playing the blame game let’s try first to view the situation with a lens of compassion not only for the damage to the school and harm caused to the staff, but also for what that child might be going through. …
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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