Doctor Stuart Anfang, Medical Director of Outpatient Psychiatry
at Baystate Medical Center, spoke with MassLive.com Wednesday
about how parents can talk to their children about the school
shooting in Newtown, Conn. He also addressed the importance of
not jumping to conclusions and stigmatizing the psychiatrically
ill in the wake of the tragedy. MassLive.com: How do parents
talk to their young children, elementary schoolers, about what
happened in Newtown, Conn.? Anfang: It really very much depends
on the age of the child. The first rule of thumb is to start
where the child is at. Hear what the child has already known and
already heard. A lot of schools have already talked a little bit
about it. They've already had moments of silence, and they've
discussed it in classrooms. So probably most kids have already
heard a little bit and you want to find out what the child knows
and the context and the terms with which the child understands
it. Remember that how and adult understands what happens may
well be very dif