Labels!

Labels! What are your thoughts on labels? I am talking about childhood labels such as adhd, autism, mentally retarded, even being known by a dissorder like being the child with the cleft palate. Obviously there needs to be names for problems in order to have the research done on these. However, is it healthy to label so much? What effect does it have on that child? How does it make other peers react to them? Does it make adults give them more slack? Is giving them more slack going to deter them from reaching their potential? These are just my thoughts of the day. Maybe it comes from me having taught in special ed. for three years or maybe because Lily is labeled adhd. Any thoughts on the subject? Since I am on here, I will just add some beautiful spring pictures!