Caring for a child with developmental disabilities takes a team of family members and medical professionals. In partnership with The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur offers Developmental Pediatrics specialists.
Our experts
Our comprehensive team performs evaluations for children who either have or may be at additional risk for problems with their development (including early development and childhood learning and behavior). Clinicians in our group have extensive training in this area. Our physicians are board-certified in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities or Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics.
Developmental pediatric physicians and nurse practitioners work collaboratively with physicians, psychologists, audiologists, speech/language pathologists, nutritionists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, behavior therapists, nurses, social workers and other specialty providers to determine the best approach to care for your child and family.
We have clinics at several Le Bonheur outpatient locations.
Developmental disabilities
Developmental disabilities begin during infancy or early childhood and can persist through adolescence and adulthood. Often times these disabilities are not recognized until children start school, which can hinder learning and social development. Approximately 17 percent of children have a developmental or behavioral disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Examples of common developmental disabilities or clinical concerns include the following:
- Developmental delay
- Autism Spectrum disorders
- High-risk newborn follow-up
- Speech-language disorders
- School problems
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Intellectual disabilities
- Learning disabilities
- Swallowing diagnostic evaluations
Developmental pediatricians asses a child to see if he or she is meeting developmental milestones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of developmental milestones and tips for parents to encourage good process.
UTHSC Center for Developmental Disabilities (CDD)
Le Bonheur works closely with the Center on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to care for children with developmental disabilities and provide support for their families. This clinical academic center and our clinicians, all affiliated with the UTHSC Department of Pediatrics, also serve to provide training for students in a variety of professional fields to learn more about developmental disabilities.
For more information visit http://www.uthsc.edu/cdd/.
