Why would a family with an autistic child see a developmental pediatrician?
General pediatricians typically have limited experience with autism spectrum disorders and are not ideally qualified to diagnose or treat autism. Developmental pediatricians are highly trained and experienced in identifying a range of developmental and behavioral differences. They can evaluate your child’s overall development, provide a diagnosis, and recommend specific treatment plans. Developmental pediatricians also can coordinate medical evaluations or prescribe medications when appropriate. They often act as an advocate during school planning, providing documentation and support to make sure your child receives needed services. In addition, Early Intervention and school-based evaluations typically do not make medical diagnoses such as autism, Aspergers Disorder or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These types of diagnoses usually require evaluation by an independent evaluator, such as a developmental pediatrician. Developmental pediatricians also provide long term m
Related Questions
- I’m a pediatrician or family physician and interested in doing developmental checkups in my practice. How do I get started?
- How does a person with developmental disabilities or a family with a child that is developmentally disabled get services?
- Does anyone have in their family or know of an autistic child who has never had a vaccination?
