Suan Dok Hospital Field Trip : 25.2.2010
 
      The annual Psychology class field trip to the Child Psychiatric Unit at Suan Dok Hospital is held after students have covered the chapter on Development, and have learned about the Pervasive Developmental Disorders with a special focus on Autism.  Students learn about the various theories concerning the development of Autism, its main features, and the criteria used to diagnose the disorder.

After having this foundation, the students spend the day at the treatment facility at Suan Dok Hospital.  Here the students get to learn the philosophy of the hospital program, observe the treatment methods used, and most importantly have the opportunity to interact with the children, some of whom are of high school age.  It is hoped that the students come away from the trip with a greater appreciation of the fact that these are, first and foremost, children like themselves.  These children, their peers in age in some cases, are dealing with a challenging set of symptoms that doctors have labeled Autism. We have had several students become so interested in this topic that they have later returned to volunteer on the unit during their summer holiday.