Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatricians are physicians with training and expertise in the evaluation and care of children and adolescents with a number of conditions including:

• Learning disorders and other school-related learning problems
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and related conditions
• Oppositional-defiant disorder
• Conduct problems
• Developmental mental health disorders
• Tics, or Tourette syndrome
• Sleep disorders
• Feeding problems or complicated toilet-training issues, enuresis (bedwetting) and encopresis (soiling)
• Developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, mental retardation, autism spectrum disorders and visual and hearing impairments
• Delayed development in speech, language, motor skills and thinking ability
• Behavioral and developmental problems complicating chronic illnesses and disabling conditions such as genetic disorders, epilepsy and cerebral palsy

Developmental-behavioral pediatricians are trained to consider both the medical and psychosocial aspects of children’s and adolescents’ developmental and behavioral problems. They are medical doctors who have completed:

• Medical school
• Residency training in pediatrics
• Board certification in pediatrics
• Additional subspecialty training in developmental-behavioral pediatrics

Developmental-behavioral pediatricians’ training and experience in interdisciplinary programs, provides an understanding of the diverse services needed for and available to children with special needs. They practice in hospitals, major medical centers, clinics, private practice settings, rehabilitation centers, schools and community centers. They work closely with parents, families and schools. They work collaboratively as part of a team of professionals which may include psychologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, neurodevelopmental disabilities pediatricians, child psychiatrists, child neurologists, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, educational diagnosticians and/or clinical social workers.

Physicians