Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician in Kirkland, WA

Development behavioral pediatrics is a field of medicine that specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment or management of behavioral and developmental issues among children. The healthcare providers that specialize in this field are developmental-behavioral pediatricians and they work closely with children and their families to address any concerns that they may have including learning disabilities, developmental delays, or other behavioral difficulties the child may have. The treatments and management of these concerns will typically involve a comprehensive approach to provide sufficient support for the child’s overall well-being and development. Common concerns affecting children that are typically addressed by developmental-behavioral pediatricians include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, and many other emotional or behavioral difficulties from which they may be struggling.

A developmental evaluation with a developmental-behavioral pediatrician (DBP) will typically include a thorough assessment of your child’s development and functioning, specifically including:

– A detailed assessment of your child’s developmental and medical history as well as their milestones and any concerns you may have that are relevant to these areas.
– The DBP will observe your child during this evaluation to assess their behaviors and interactions.
– Your child’s cognitive, motor, social-emotional, and language skills will be assessed through standardized evaluations.
– You and any other caregivers for your child will be interviewed or questioned to gather any other relevant information regarding your child’s development and behavior.

Following this initial evaluation, the DBP will collaborate with any other professionals who are providing care for your child, including psychologists or speech pathologists, or will coordinate care with these specialists if this is deemed necessary to provide your child with a comprehensive treatment and management plan. The goal of this initial evaluation is to obtain comprehensive information regarding your child’s needs, as well as their strengths and challenges. The information that is gathered at this evaluation will allow the DBP to provide an accurate diagnosis as well as develop an individualized treatment and management plan for your child that includes recommendations for any interventions or other therapies to properly support your child’s development.

A child’s development can be comprehensively evaluated through a combination of methods, often including a professional observation of the child to see their behaviors and interactions, as well as provide them with specific scenarios in which their social, cognitive, and emotional skills can be assessed. Some professionals may provide formal tests or questionnaires to children that are standardized to measure specific aspects of their development, including their motor skills, language skills, and cognitive abilities. These tests and assessments only provide DBPs with a small window into the day-to-day development and behaviors of the child, so interviews will also need to be done with the parents and any other caregivers of the child to learn more about how the child is in other environments, as well as to disclose any concerns or notable milestones along with the developmental history of the child. All of this information and evaluation will take into account the medical and developmental history of the child, including reviewing the medical records to determine if any factors may have interfered with the child’s development. Other types of tests or assessments may be included if the DBP requires more information to be able to provide an accurate diagnosis and to develop the best treatment plan for the child.

The primary difference between a pediatrician and a developmental pediatrician is that a developmental pediatrician is a specialized type of pediatrician who has undergone more training focusing on the development and behavioral issues in children, providing them with the required expertise to diagnose and manage a range of developmental and behavioral conditions. They focus on providing specialized care for children by managing any developmental delays, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and any other emotional or behavioral difficulties, working with the child and their family to support the progress of the child and to address any challenges they may be facing. Pediatricians provide more general healthcare to children, focusing on maintaining and improving the overall health and wellness of their patients through regular check-ups, vaccinations, and providing treatments for any other common illnesses. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We serve patients from Kirkland WA, Seattle WA, Shoreline WA, Lake Forest Park WA, Kenmore WA, Woodinville WA, Mountlake Terrace WA, Woodway WA, Edmonds WA, Lynnwood WA, Bothell WA and Lake Washington WA.