Labeling creates side-effects, perhaps most notable the fulfillment of the self-fulfilling prophecy—what you expect, you often get. If a child is seen as "disordered," he will tend to modify his behavior to that expectation. Both teachers and children relate differently to children labeled ADD.

...more often than not, labeling leads to oversimplification and insensitivity to the very real, very unique people behind the label. Sadly, in some ways we have trapped these children—and adults—in a diminished view of themselves and their potential for learning... However, if we must label them, why not label them according to the underlying core problems rather than just the symptoms? I suggest the label SOSOH: Stressed Out, Survival-Oriented Humans.  —Carla Hannaford, PhD

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