“Is the STATE to decide what is Normal or Abnormal?… Recognition Of Symptoms in Emotionally Disturbed Children. Our understanding of what’s normal is more limited than our comprehension of the abnormal because normality has a wide range. What is normal for one individual may not be normal for another. Actually there is nothing in the abnormal, which is unrelated to or non-existent in the normal. With the premise that we approach each individual child as a total sentient being- body, mind, intellect, feelings – we recognize that the behavior at any point in his life, 6 or 16 or 60, is a symptomatic express : on of the sum total of all he has experienced biologically, emotionally, socially, during his life. Then we consider, how does this one child measure up with the average. in his whole social group of peers? Does he live, perform, adjust in a reasonably effective, happy, healthy way? Or is he different? If different, how different? When can we talk with him, counsel with him, manipulate circumstances or environment which will help modify his difference? When shall we seek the clinical help that is afforded by child guidance clinics in their team approach of psychiatrists, psychiatric social workers, and psychologists? To what should we be alerted? Of what should we be aware if we are to function as preventive agents of poor mental health, mental illness, maladjustment?”

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