Developmental Pediatrics

We have finally secured an appointment with a developmental pediatrician at the end of March. I am so thankful for our wonderful genetic counselor who cut the wait down from about 9 months to only two! It's nice to have friends in high places. ;D

For the past couple of years I have thought Abby would benefit from a developmental pediatrician. I was assured by therapists, doctors, etc. that it was not necessary. My gut told me to move on but with so many people saying no I thought maybe it was just my need to do ANYTHING possible to help Abby. I guess I should have followed my gut.

Here we are years later and instead of being on top of it we are back tracking. It's not the end of the world but I just wish I went with my instinct to begin with.

Here is some information on what a developmental pediatrician is and what they treat:

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 pediatricians evaluate, counsel, and provide treatment for children, adolescents, and their families with a wide range of developmental and behavioral difficulties, including:

-Learning disorders including dyslexia, writing diffi culties, 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 bifi da, 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)

Click here for direct link to above information

We are hoping that this doctor will be someone who can not only keep an eye on the "bigger picture" but also help us deal with the tantrums, anxiety and OCD behavior.