July 16, 2004

Authors' night provides guide to challenging children

T he MGH Back Bay HealthCare Center held "Author's Night" June 28 as part of the Healthy Kids Talk series. Perri Klass, MD, and Eileen Costello, MD, authors of Quirky Kids: Understanding and Helping Your Child Who Doesn't Fit In, addressed a group of parents, educators and pediatricians about children who are different from other kids in ways that are hard to understand or explain. Straddling the line between eccentric and developmentally impaired, these children can present challenges that standard parenting books fail to address, according to the authors. Klass and Costello, pediatricians with an interest in child development, were able to provide guidance and research for families of such kids by illuminating the confusing list of terms applied to what the authors call "quirky kids" and by discussing therapies and medication.

"This was one of our most well attended discussions," says Lisa Brugnoli-Semeta, RN, of MGH Back Bay, organizer of the event. "There is obviously a great desire to understand and help these children. While giving the audience a wealth of information on the subject, they also sent a message of acceptance and hope."

The Healthy Kids Talks are a series of seminars for parents and people working with children to promote positive parenting.