Overview
The pediatricians at Cleveland Clinic Children's Center for Developmental Pediatrics evaluate and provide treatment and referrals for children with a wide range of developmental and behavioral concerns.
Developmental pediatricians (sometimes called Developmental Disabilities and Behavioral Pediatricians) are medical doctors who have completed a residency in pediatrics and have additional subspecialty training in developmental and behavioral pediatrics. Advanced Nurse Practitioners (APN) are nurses who work in collaboration with physicians performing physicals, ordering and interpreting tests and procedures, prescribing medications, coordinating care, and performing patient education.
During a visit to a developmental-behavioral pediatrician or APN, the provider will interview you about your child’s development, behaviors, abilities and any learning or social concerns. The provider will review records of previous evaluations, school or Early Intervention records, and complete a physical examination. The provider will complete developmental or educational testing as needed or provide referrals for more comprehensive testing if appropriate. The provider may request additional information from other sources such as school or daycare. The provider will then determine a diagnosis and make recommendations regarding treatment.
A variety of clinical services are offered to meet the needs of families, including:
Outpatient developmental & behavioral pediatrics clinic
The pediatric clinic provides initial consultation for a variety of developmental and behavioral concerns for children up to 8 years of age. Ongoing medical management is provided as needed, including medication management for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorders, as well as behavior disorders in children with a variety of developmental disabilities.
Pediatric feeding team
The Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program offers a multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment for infants and children with a wide variety of feeding difficulties. Children who are eating an extremely small number of foods, who experience severe behavioral food refusal, or who have not benefited from previous therapeutic intervention are good candidates for the Pediatric Feeding Team. Infants with feeding issues are cared for in the specialized Infant Feeding Clinic. This program is not appropriate for children or adolescents with other eating disorders, such as pica, anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
Many of these children also have additional developmental disabilities and /or complex medical conditions which may be contributing to their feeding difficulties. The evaluation includes assessment by a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, psychologist, dietitian, and occupational therapist. Children seen in this clinic may experience food refusal, difficulty advancing food texture, inability to chew and/or swallow age appropriate foods, difficulty eating enough to gain weight and grow. At the initial evaluation, the team completes a feeding and developmental history, medical history and exam, and observation of a meal. Team members then determine what factors may be contributing to the feeding problems and how best to intervene. The Feeding Team then offers ongoing multidisciplinary therapy during which patients and their caregivers remain under the care of a psychologist, occupational therapist and dietitian as needed throughout the course of their treatment.
Interested in a feeding team assessment? Please call 216.448.6024 for more information.
Additional multidisciplinary clinics
Developmental and behavioral providers also provide services through multidisciplinary clinics, such as congenital heart disease, trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and others.
What We Treat
Our team at the Center for Developmental Pediatrics 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.
- Intellectual disability.
- Learning disorders.
- Tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome.
Appointments
To schedule an appointment with a developmental pediatrician from our team, please call 216.448.6110.
To speak with a member of our Behavioral Feeding Team, please call 216.448.6024.
