He was very excited about it. Some of Dixon's fellow pediatricians are enthusiastic about the practice, too. She was a presenter at the annual American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in Chicago last fall. Some of doctors even chose to sit cross-legged on the floor to form better circles, and several groups stayed beyond the session's finish time to continue the discussions. But those same doctors can be seduced by technology.
Drawings help the doctors reconnect with kids.
There are several reasons Dixon recommends pediatricians collect drawings routinely once a child reaches age 3. Plus, U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher recently said every child should have a mental-health checkup each year as part of complete care. Each drawing is just a probe into the child's emotional state and cognitive abilities. Collecting them over time, you can really see a developmental pattern. She suggests doctors have a receptionist or nurse provide drawing materials to a child with instructions.