What about labels?

Something I'm really concerned about is how we use labels.  I know we can't do without them, and I know they do make a difference, but what worries me most is how we label.  It's one thing to know that my daughter has Prader-Willi Syndrome, after all, this is helpful information and will help get the services that she needs; will help caregivers to understand why she behaves as she does, and will help teachers know how to make sure she learns at her own pace; but my daughter is not Prader-Willi.

So often I hear people talk about their Prader-Willi student, or their PW son, or PW daughter, or PW kids.  Prader-Willi Syndrome is what they have.  It's not who they are.  After all, if your son or daughter had a club foot, you wouldn't introduce them as "I'd like you to meet my club foot daughter",  or talk about your club foot son, would you?  By putting a label in front of your son, daughter, student, client, resident, or patient, you are immediately judging them by the label first and conditioning your whole attitude towards that label instead of the person behind the label.  Labels are there to identify the services and needs that the person requires, not to take precedent over who they are.

It's so easy to say 'my son, or my daughter with PWS' .... don't you think?