A survey of school children given prolonged medical excuses from physical education classes revealed that more than half of them had illusory or imagined (phantom) handicaps. These handicaps could not be substantiated, justified, or confirmed by evidence collected during the study. It is suggested that the school, by giving official recognition and authorization to destructive health attitudes and questionable medical diagnoses, may confirm and perpetuate an imaginary disability which could persist into adult life. Educators and physicians are alerted to the hazards of initiating or supporting disabling attitudes and defenses towards disease or injury during this critical period of development.
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