When a child is diagnosed with autism, some parents are overwhelmed by fear or doubt, others are relieved to have a "name" for their child's symptoms. In both instances, the diagnosis is followed by a flurry of questions asking doctors to explain autism, treatment options, and the impact that autism will have on the child's social and educational development.
Parent Connection's guest columnist for January is very familiar with those questions. Dr. John Harrington is the division director of general academic pediatrics at Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD) and associate professor of pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). Prior to joining CHKD, Dr. Harrington worked in Westchester, New York, where his private practice became a medical home for more than 100 autistic children. His professional knowledge coupled with his personal experiences as the father of an autistic child make Dr. Harrington an expert on the topic of autism. In his column, available now on vbschools.com, Dr. Harrington looks at how autism is handled in a school setting. Dr. Harrington is the second in a series of Parent Connection guest columnists who will share their expertise and insights on a wide-range of parenting topics and issues facing families today.
Virginia Beach School's Parent Connection is designed to link families to community resources, activities, workshops and educational materials which support child development and success. An updated calendar of upcoming events scheduled during the month of January is available on the school division's Web site, vbschools.com. Parents should mark their calendars for February 7, 2009, when the school division will host its first large-scale Parent Connection seminar at Landstown High School. The event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Gerald Newmark, author of How to Raise an Emotionally Healthy Child, and numerous small-group sessions. Each family that attends the seminar will receive a free copy of Newmark's book. To offer input on possible topics for the seminar contact Melissa McQuarrie at 757.263.1936.
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