Developmental-behavioral pediatricians evaluate, counsel, and provide treatment for children, adolescents, and their families with a wide range of developmental and behavioral difficulties, including:
- 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 the full range of pediatric chronic
- Illnesses and disabling conditions (for example, genetic disorders, epilepsy, prematurity, diabetes, asthma, cancer)
- Attention and behavioral disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and associated conditions including oppositional-defiant behavior, conduct problems, depression and anxiety disorders
- Learning disorders including dyslexia, writing difficulties, math disorders and other school-related learning problems
- Regulatory disorders including sleep disorders, feeding problems, discipline difficulties, complicated toilet-training issues, enuresis(bedwetting) and encopresis (soiling)
- Tics, Tourette syndrome, and other habit disorders.
Developmental-behavioral pediatricians work closely with parents, families, and schools and understand that children’s development and behavior happen first and foremost in the context of the family. They seek to understand the family’s view of the problem and the effect of the child’s problem on the family. Developmental-behavioral pediatricians advocate for their patients with developmental and behavioral problems by working closely with schools, preschools, and other agencies involved with developmental care and education.
