John-Richard Thompson

The Stigmatized Child John-Richard Thompson

Stigma is one of the meanest and most difficult aspects of having a child with learning disabilities and related disorders. We may not be able to change the way society feels overnight, but we can help lessen the pain caused by stigma. The answer is Acceptance and Resilience. In their new book, The Stigmatized Child: "Mommy, am I stupid?": Helping Parents Overcome the Stigma Attached to Learning Disabilities, ADHD, and Lack of Social Skills, Anne Ford and John-Richard Thompson explore the different forms of stigma, such as the stigma faced by children from classmates and friends and from society. Parents, too can suffer the effects of stigma and often react by denying or trying to hide their child's disabilities. In The Stigmatized Child they share stories from other parents and their children, and offer advice from professionals on how to deal with the often painful and long-lasting effects of stigma.