DEVELOPMENTAL & REHABILITATION MEDICINE The division’s mission is to provide comprehensive and compassionate diagnosis and management for children with neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems that range from normative deviations to rare disorders; to educate health care professionals and trainees about these problems; to add to existing knowledge by researching relevant questions in the field; and to offer advocacy and influence public policy. The Division of Developmental and Rehabilitation Medicine is composed of a diverse faculty of developmental-behavioral pediatricians, an integrative medicine (IM) pediatrician, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRN). Our clinical services occur in a number of settings – outpatient, inpatient, and in the community (e.g., schools, Connecticut Birth-toThree system, and other agencies). We provide direct consultation, optimal clinical care, and consultative services to schools and agencies across the state. NEW CLINICAL STAFF • Ana Garnecho, MD, joined the division in January 2020 to become the primary developmentalbehavioral pediatrician at the Norwalk Developmental Center, a joint venture between Connecticut Children’s and Norwalk Hospital, which is part of Nuvance Health™. Dr. Garnecho brought with her nearly a decade of clinical subspecialty experience as well as clinical site management skills. • Dana Eisenberg, APRN, joined the division in January 2020. Her background is in early childhood education, with particular Montessori expertise. NEW CLINICAL STAFF ROLES • After a decade as division chief, Ann Milanese, MD, transferred that leadership role to Sarah Schlegel, MD, in July 2020.
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ANNUAL ACADEMIC REPORT 2020
• Dr. Garnecho assumed the role of Norwalk site director from Susan Dellert, MD. • Robert Keder, MD, became the division’s education director. He had been the division’s core faculty liaison for the residency program, but also managed formal division education opportunities at all training/learning levels (undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education). In addition, Dr. Keder has become one of the main “physician faces” at Connecticut Children’s during the pandemic, dedicating countless hours to pandemic-related marketing and communication efforts. He is also very engaged in legislative advocacy. • Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, MD, MPH, became the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) program director. She has worked to design a sustainable, efficient autism spectrum disorder evaluation algorithm within the division amidst pandemic turmoil. • Ana Verissimo, MD, became the integrative medicine director. She balances outpatient and inpatient integrative medicine consultation. ONGOING CLINICAL PROGRAMS • Dr. Keder continues as an embedded developmentalbehavioral pediatrician in two of Connecticut Children’s primary care settings, serving the goal of enhancing collaboration and co-management with primary care providers as well as improving access to care for our highest risk patients and families. • The Transition to Adulthood with Developmental Services Clinic, directed by Dr. Schlegel and serving patients 15 to 26 years of age and their families, celebrated two years of operation. Absolutely unique to Connecticut, only a few other similar programs exist in the United States. • For years, integrative medicine consultation provided by Dr. Verissimo has been an integral component of Connecticut Children’s Nuss procedure protocol. CLINICAL HIGHLIGHTS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Following the abrupt Covid-19 pandemic “shutdown” in mid-March 2020, the division rapidly (within
weeks) and efficiently converted from 100 percent clinic-based outpatient services to fully functioning, entirely-telemedicine service provision. At the height of pandemic disruption, only the integrative medicine inpatient consultation services had a brief hiatus; daily general pediatrics consultation to the Institute of Living inpatient child psychiatric unit has continued uninterrupted. • During spring/summer 2020, the division uncoupled with the Speech/Language Department for joint evaluations for autism spectrum disorders and developed a novel telemedicine-based autism spectrum disorder evaluation process. The Show Me Video Assessment for Telehealth was developed by Dr. Garnecho; Jennifer Twachtman-Bassett, MS, CCC-SLP, CCRP; and Dr. Dumont-Mathieu so the division could continue to conduct effective assessments of children between 18 months and 11 years of age who may have autism spectrum disorders. • Dr. Verissimo’s integrative medicine consultation has been incorporated into two clinical pathways: scoliosis and somatic symptom and related disorders. ONGOING COMMUNITY-BASED CONSULTATION PROGRAMS • For 20 years, Dr. Milanese has been medical advisor for many school districts all over Connecticut, this year renewing contracts with 13, including the Connecticut Technical High School system. • Dr. Milanese has been the medical advisor for Connecticut’s Early Intervention program, Birth-toThree, for nearly 20 years. • Dr. Milanese has been providing daily general pediatrics consultation to the Institute of Living inpatient child psychiatric unit since 1997. • Dr. Schlegel continues to direct the decade-old School Consultation Service, conducting individual evaluations of medically and developmentally complex students within their school districts.
