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In the public schools my grandson was diagnosed ADD, ADHD, Aspergers (which is high functioning autism) and ODD, which is Oppositional Defiance Disorder..... I've been homeschooling him ever since. He's bull headed, but I wouldn't call that a disorder, and while occasionally I see signs of Aspergers, far too often I see he's bullheaded and defiant. Hasn't stopped him reaching 8th grade with pretty OK grades, and above normal abilities in math and science. His grandmother who loves him is also bull headed. And I've been bullheaded longer than he's existed, so I don't really think its a disorder.

Too often label are put on children that are there for the convenience of those who just don't want to put up with them. It's easier than disciplining them.

Good comments. Thanks.

bullheaded: stubborn; headstrong

Kinda like contumacy, one of my favorite words and it traces all the way to Latin -- gee, I wonder what that means. Maybe the "problem" has been around for awhile?

Maybe without that "problem" we would all still be slaves of the very, very few and still be confined to mud huts between 16-hour shifts in the fields, mines, . . . .

But today the few want to brand the "trouble" makers .. go figure.

You wouldn’t believe how many foster children are given those exact diagnoses. I thought it was very strange how ALL of the foster children I had in my home had most of those you mention. Most of it, in my opinion was lack of discipline and mollycoddling on the part of social workers assigned to the kids. I got out of foster care for that reason. Real parenting and real discipline were not acceptable.

ODD, which is Oppositional Defiance Disorder

now that is definately a brat, later its called a**hole. I have a 3 year old niece, when her daddy says tells her to do something, she starts to cry, he will say " GO A HEAD CRY" then she will dry up and say "NO!" a little reverse psychology works.

I wouldn't call that a disorder, and while occasionally I see signs of Aspergers, far too often I see he's bullheaded and defiant.

I have a granddaughter very similar. She is 7, and has always been introverted, but totally sweet and loving, with a high functional brain, although sort of spoiled, and very hard to teach. Her attention span is only about 30 seconds, and then she refuses to participate in the lesson, whatever it is.

A previous school district we lived diagnosed her with full blown autism, and demanded she be put into a class with problem kids, kids with Downs syndrome and very low-level handicapped kids.... even though she has a much higher functional intellect.

The public school where we live now has her mainstreamed into a 1st-grade class with other kids her age. They have a reading and math specialists see her every day, and she is doing great. She can recite word for word the lines in every single Disney movie ever made.

I dread to think if I had allowed these public school dolts to put her in with the severely retarded Downs kids. Now, she is the most popular girl in her class, in the entire elementary school, literally, because she is so sweet and lovable -- even though she occasionally gets stubborn and has a tantrum over something silly.