Overview
The specialists at Cleveland Clinic Children's Center for Developmental Pediatrics evaluate, diagnose and provide treatment and referrals for children with a wide range of developmental and behavioral concerns.
Our team includes:
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatricians: Board-certified medical doctors who have completed specialized fellowship training following their pediatric residency to manage complex developmental and behavioral conditions.
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs): Skilled clinicians who collaborate with physicians to conduct physical exams, interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and provide comprehensive patient education.
- Nursing and Social Work Professionals: Dedicated advocates who coordinate care and provide essential emotional and navigational support for patients and their families.
During your visit, the provider will:
- Interview: Discuss your child’s development, behavior, and social or learning concerns with you in detail.
- Review: Analyze previous medical evaluations, school records, or Early Intervention reports.
- Examine: Perform a physical examination tailored to your child’s needs.
- Evaluate: Conduct developmental or educational testing, or provide referrals for more comprehensive assessments if required.
- Collaborate: Request supplemental information from outside sources like teachers or daycare providers.
- Diagnose & Plan: Establish a formal diagnosis and develop a customized treatment and support plan.
Appointments
To schedule an appointment with our team, please call 216.448.6110.Locations
Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation2801 Martin Luther King Jr Dr.
Cleveland, OH 44104
Cleveland Clinic Children's Outpatient Center - R Building
8950 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106
Hillcrest Medical Office Building II
6801 Mayfield Rd.
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
Rocky River Medical Outpatient Center
19800 Detroit Rd.
Rocky River, OH 44116
Stow-Falls Express and Outpatient Care
857 Graham Rd.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
What We Treat
Our team provides evaluations and treatment for a number of developmental and behavioral concerns, including:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorders, including medication management of behavioral disorders associated with autism spectrum disorders
- Behavioral sleep disturbances
- Behavior problems in early childhood, such as tantrums and oppositional behaviors.
- Developmental and behavioral consequences of preterm birth (prematurity)
- Developmental aspects of other genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, Turner’s syndrome, etc.
- Developmental delays
- Feeding disorders
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Intellectual disability
- Learning disorders
- Tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome
what-to-expect
Initiate an Appointment
- Call the Center for Developmental Pediatrics at 216.448.6110.
- After you call, you'll be sent intake forms to complete prior to scheduling an appointment.
- Once these forms are completed, please allow 10-14 business days to hear from our office regarding scheduling an appointment.
Comprehensive Evaluation
- Your child may have a series of appointments for our team to gather information.
- We will review your child’s medical, developmental and behavioral history.
- Developmental testing may be conducted to identify additional areas of concern.
- At the conclusion of the evaluation, our team will provide individualized recommendations and referrals to address any identified needs.
Long Term Follow-Up
As your child grows, we offer developmental monitoring and updated recommendations to help optimize their development over time.
Preparing for Your Appointment
To best optimize your child’s appointment, please share any evaluations your child has had in the past. This may include:
- School documents: Evaluation Team Report (ETR), Individualized Education Program (IEP) and 504 Plan
- Psychological evaluations
- Speech evaluations
- Neurological evaluations or brain studies (e.g., CT, MRI, EEG)
Fax these documents to 216.448.6180 (Attention: Developmental Pediatrics Care Coordinator) or direct message your developmental pediatrics providers through MyChart.
Appointments
A variety of programs and services are offered to meet the needs of families, including:
Outpatient Developmental Behavioral Clinics
A developmental-behavioral pediatrician or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) will evaluate, diagnose, and provide treatment and referrals for children with a wide range of developmental and behavioral concerns. As needed, team members will provide ongoing medical management, including:
- Medication management for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Support for autism spectrum disorders.
- Treatment of behavior disorders in children with various developmental disabilities.
New patients are accepted up to age 8, with ongoing medical management available as they transition to adulthood.
Autism Evaluation Clinic (AEC)
AEC provides a comprehensive, team-based assessment for young children with developmental concerns related to autism. A developmental-behavioral pediatrician or APRN works in collaboration with a speech-language pathologist to complete the evaluation in a single visit.
Following the initial evaluation, families return approximately one week later to:
- Review the results with the pediatrician
- Receive personalized recommendations
- Discuss next steps for care and support
This clinic is designed for children who are 4 years old or younger at the time of referral.
Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol Clinic (PEAC)
PEAC offers a multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment for children ages 6 months to 12 years who were exposed to alcohol before birth. The evaluation is conducted over three visits and includes:
- Interviews with caregivers
- A detailed physical examination
Assessments of facial features, growth, and brain function.
The PEAC team includes a:
- Developmental-behavioral pediatrician
- Neuropsychologist
- Occupational therapist
- Education advocate
PEAC is committed to supporting families in a comfortable, non-stigmatizing environment.
Location: Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Jenna Kolschetzky, Nursing Care Coordinator, at 216.695.8839.
Other Multidisciplinary Clinics
Our developmental pediatrics team also provides services through other multidisciplinary clinics, such as:
- Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Support Program
- Center for Down Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy Multidisciplinary Clinic
- Feeding Disorders Program
- Infant Feeding and Nutrition Clinic
- NICU Neurodevelopmental Support Program
Other Programming
Developmental Pediatrics Pre-Appointment Workshop
While waiting for your developmental pediatrics appointment, your family can start receiving help now. Our team hosts 90-minute-long virtual group workshops every other month to provide families with information about our clinic, the evaluation process, and things to do while you are waiting for an appointment.
What to expect from the workshop:
- Our team will share what to expect during appointment visits
- Learn what you can do if you have concerns about your child’s development
- Discover how to access services, including: early intervention, private therapies, special education services and behavioral support
Note: Once you have a developmental pediatrics appointment scheduled, you can sign up for the pre-appointment workshop.
To sign up, call 216.448.6110.
resources
- Association for Science in Autism Treatment
- Autism Speaks
- Autism Society
- Connecting for Kids
- Help Me Grow
- Families for Early Autism Treatment
- Learn the Signs. Act Early | CDC
- Milestones Autism Resources
- Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence Disorders
- Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities
- Ohio Department of Medicaid
- Organization for Autism Research
- Supplemental Security Income
Social stories
Cleveland Clinic Children’s and the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities collaborated to create medical social media stories. The goal of these stories is to help children feel more comfortable when they visit clinics, hospitals or doctors. The stories walk kids through what normally happen at a typical visit.
