Children 'who don't know their own name'

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Permalink Reply by james walsh on August 1, 2011 at 0:32

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" - meant to say that the names of things do not matter, only what things are.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on August 1, 2011 at 9:30

It really doesn't help to have sweeping statements based on a small number of cases, which even Jean Gross the Government's communication champion says she knows "anecdotally". And then to slide from this to general statements about speech and language delay, and the impact of TV watching.

I'm not dismissing the issue. Nor in any way trying to understate the problems which the Radio 4 programme raised. But I'd suggest a careful and critical listening to the statements made on the programme. For instance, does anyone accurately answer the question - posed by the presenter - of the ages of the children affected? The percentage of an unknown number is also an unknown number.

One danger in the apparent openness of internet media is to amplify the process which Cass Sunstein called the Echo Chamber.

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on August 1, 2011 at 9:57

Points well made.

(I think I've developed a web filter which makes some allowance for this, particularly when reports are relatively data free.)

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Permalink Reply by Liz on August 1, 2011 at 12:24

I agree with Alan that this would no doubt apply to a handful of cases across the country and I suspect that other factors would come into play as to why a child might be unaware of their own name (neglect, parental problems with addiction, isolation of mother etc). Children may sometimes refuse to answer questions about themselves because parents tell them not to talk about the setup of their households.

I'm not saying that problems with communication are not serious and they are quite prevalent which is why early intervention is important via Surestart/health visitors etc, but this is an extreme example. More common are problems like children not being aware of basic numbers, having a very limited vocabulary, not knowing nursery rhymes and songs, not having the experience of being read to, not knowing how to interact with peers and resorting to agression or withdrawal. 

I think the more important point made by Kevin is about not mixing neighbourhoods and housing developments so that 'folk wisdom' and interaction from older parents and grandparents and teenagers (who believe it or not are often fantastic with toddlers) doesn't take place. This is not the first time I've heard this - someone was telling me this week that because of the way housing is prioritised, you often get too many people of one 'type' e.g. young mums on their own in the same block which means that they don't have the chance to interact, get advice(and maybe get babysitting) from older people and often become isolated. Keeping an eye on new parents and helping out (even if its only directing them to the nearest children's centre) is v important, that's the message we should take away from Kevin's blog I think.

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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on August 1, 2011 at 12:44

But (to link with another local item of great and urgent news) if your parents had named you Peaches Honeyblossom, Fifi Trixabelle, Pixie or Heavenly Hiranni Tigerlily wouldn't you have forgotten it too before daring to turn up at SHIS's Reception class?  There are more forms of extreme child abuse than the obvious - with more lasting damaging effects such as ending up at Manor House at the tender age of 22.

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Permalink Reply by Liz on August 1, 2011 at 13:03

Who would have thought a sensible Irishman like Sir Bobus de Geldof would have allowed such a thing? Sure, aren't the saints names good enough for everyone?

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