Don’t jump to diagnose ADD for disruption

Readers discuss whether children are acting out or mentally ill. Other topics: road safety, Apple store and massage advertising.

Readers say disruptive children are being diagnosed with mental disorders Reem Mohammed / The National

After reading your story (UAE parents urged to monitor children's mental health, October 31), I think we should not be so quick to label children as troubled or as having Attention Deficit Disorder.

Children are just that: children. They should be allowed to develop in healthy ways, and for that good family values and discipline at home are key.

Too many doctors are only too happy to label kids and start them on medication that, quite frankly, is completely unnecessary.

A child who is acting out in school could just be having a tantrum. Sometimes it really is as simple as that.

Make sure the root of the problem has been identified before resorting to extreme measures. Try talking to your children, set good examples to provide positive influences in their lives. Don’t mistake a spoilt brat for a child who genuinely needs psychological help.

Jean Francoise Ng Lewis, Dubai

Although most children who act disruptively do not require any psychological help, there are those who genuinely have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. They need help but often can’t get it here.

The UAE is woefully undersupplied when it comes to mental health treatment and most of the health insurance policies I’ve seen do not cover it.

The first step to remedy this is to have international-quality treatment available.

There also seems to be little attempt at education on this subject and that contributes to the huge stigma that affects those suffering from these disorders.

Dani Lapin, Dubai

Enforcement, not age, is the key

With regard to your news article, Most road accidents in Abu Dhabi caused by under-35s (October 31), raising the age for driving would not be a solution because in my view the problem is there is not enough enforcement.

People who drive like idiots need to be arrested, fined, put in jail and lose their licences because they are endangering others through their lack of concern for others' safety.

They need to be held accountable for their actions. It is amazing to me that the authorities here are so strict on certain things – but driving doesn't seem to be one of them.

Clint Mead, Abu Dhabi

As an indication of poor driving instruction, I remember the written test for my driving licence being 10 multiple-choice questions.

There needs to be a more comprehensive written test and classes need to be made compulsory. Safe driving needs to be hammered into new drivers' heads, especially because some of them have grown up in an environment where speeding is tolerated and they can't wait to try it themselves.

Sanam Shah, Dubai

What's the big deal with Apple?

In relation to your story about Apple opening stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (Crowds flock to Apple Store opening at Dubai's Mall of the Emirates, October 30), I find it both surprising and dismaying to see reports about a gentleman who seems to have no other goals in life than to haunt Apple stores around the world so he can attend the opening of each Apple outlet.

Stephen Franke, Dubai

Not only is this just a shop, it's a shop where you can buy stuff that's been on sale in the region for years.

Am I missing something here?

Kevin Hackett, Dubai

Massage cards should stop now

The other week when I drove my car out of the Sahara Centre in Sharjah, I found my fellow motorists could not get their eyes off my car. I found this very strange but ignored it.

It was only when I reached my destination that I realised what prompted those stares: business cards promoting a newly opened massage centre had been tucked into the windows of my beloved vehicle.

The photograph on these cards was of a scantily-clad woman posing in a sensual manner. It was absolutely obscene to look at and, as a woman, I found it embarrassing to have driven through rush hour traffic with such absurd advertisements on my car.

Please can the authorities take action to shut down bogus massage centres that advertise in this manner – many of which I suspect offer unlawful services to customers – and impose heavy fines on their owners.

The contact numbers on these cards should be traced and their users brought to justice for distributing offensive material.

Fatima Suhail, Sharjah