What is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician?
If your child has a developmental, learning, or behavioral problem, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician has the training and expertise to evaluate and care for your child. Developmental-behavioral pediatricians possess training and experience to consider, in their assessments and treatments, the medical and psychosocial aspects of children's and adolescents' developmental and behavioral problems.
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician Training
Developmental-behavioral pediatricians are medical doctors who have completed
- Four years of medical school
- Three years of residency training in pediatrics
- Board certification in pediatrics
- Additional 3 year of subspecialty training in developmental-behavioral pediatrics
In 2002, the American Board of Pediatrics began certifying developmental-behavioral pediatricians by a comprehensive examination process.
What We Do
Developmental-behavioral pediatricians evaluate, counsel, and provide treatment for children, adolescents, and their families with a wide range of developmental and behavioral difficulties. These include:
- Learning disorders including reading difficulties, writing difficulties, math disorders, and other school-related learning problems
- Attention and behavioral disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and associated conditions including oppositional-defiant behavior, conduct problems, depression, and anxiety disorders
- Tics, Tourette syndrome, and other habit disorders
- Regulatory disorders including sleep disorders, feeding problems, discipline difficulties, complicated toilet-training issues, enuresis (bedwetting), and encopresis (soiling)
- Developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and visual and hearing impairments
- Delayed development in speech, language, motor skills, and thinking ability
- Behavioral and developmental problems complicating the full range of pediatric chronic illnesses and disabling conditions (for example, genetic disorders, epilepsy, prematurity, diabetes, asthma, cancer)
- Developmental-behavioral pediatricians work closely with parents, families, and schools.
Our team of developmental-behavioral pediatricians understand that children's development and behavior happen first and foremost in the context of the family. We seek to understand a family's view of the problem and the effect of the child's problem on the family. Our team advocates for our patients with developmental and behavioral problems by working closely with schools, preschools, and other agencies involved with developmental care and education.
We're Here to Meet Your Child's Special Needs
Our team of developmental-behavioral pediatricians work closely with a team of professionals. This team may include a psychologist, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, neurodevelopmental disabilities pediatrician, child psychiatrist, child neurologist, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, educational diagnostician, or clinical social worker.
About Psychology
Psychologists are licensed clinicians with doctoral degrees trained to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals experiencing cognitive, behavioral, and/or psychological challenges. Our pediatric psychologists specialize in working with children and families experiencing developmental-behavioral differences. We use evidence-based approaches to understand your child’s developmental challenges while also focusing on their strengths and potential to grow. We value helping to educate families on important considerations for their children to enhance their development and to provide strategies to improve daily functioning across settings.
Licensed psychologists undergo 4 or more years of graduate school training, complete a 1-year supervised predoctoral internship, and complete their training with a 1-2 year supervised postdoctoral internship. Licensed psychological associates (LPAs) are master’s-level clinicians who work under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. Like psychologists, LPAs also go through a comprehensive examination process to obtain board licensure. Many psychologists have an extensive research background in their areas of expertise. Psychologists are committed to providing individualized, research-informed care to support the unique needs of children and their families.
About Social Work
Clinical social workers are licensed mental health professionals trained to serve and treat clients experiencing individual, family and community challenges. Social workers approach the client's needs from a systems perspective, viewing the client and their presenting problems within the context of their environment and social systems. Social workers value meeting the client where they are and maintaining a strengths focused approach. Client education and advocacy, connection to resources, and treatment for mental and behavioral health symptoms are the primary goals of clinical social work.
Clinical social workers attend two years of graduate school at an accredited university and practice under the oversight of a licensure supervisor for approximately two years post-graduation. Clinical social workers received their full clinical licensure after 3,000 hours of direct clinical practice and 100 hours of supervision. You can expect a compassionate, understanding and thorough approach to best meet the needs of your child and family.
Specialty Clinics
We have several multidisciplinary clinics where we provide evaluations and management at one visit for you and your child to see multiple providers.
These include:
- NeuroGenetics Clinic (Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Child Neurology, Metabolic Genetics and Genetics)
- NeuroMuscular Clinic
- Brain Tumor Clinic
- Muscular Dystrophy Clinic/Spinal Muscular Atrophy Clinic
- Transition Clinic
- Transition Clinic Flyer (PDF)
