The Gist:

• A developmental pediatrician is a sub-specialty of pediatrics

• These doctors have special expertise in developmental disorders of childhood

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As a speech therapist who works with young children and families, I’m often the first professional that families meet in the quest to help their child. Late talking, unclear pronunciation, not using many words, and not understanding many words are all clear, overt signs that a child is experiencing difficulties learning to communicate.

We deal with communication issues in speech therapy. We teach kids how to talk, how to listen and understand, how to match words with their ideas and how to say those words clearly so that others can understand them.

But sometimes there are other factors influencing how successful a child can be in therapy. Sometimes, we need to take a broader view and see if there are any underlying conditions that might be responsible for the communication problems.

That’s where the developmental-behavioral pediatrician comes in.

A developmental pediatrician is one of the people you might get referred to if an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is suspected. These doctors can also be helpful when we think a child might have ADHD, anxiety or OCD. A developmental pediatrician is also a really good referral when a child’s behavior seems out of control and really hard to manage, even after they start communicating better.

But what is a developmental pediatrician? 

In the same way that there are pediatric cardiologists (doctors who treat problems with children’s hearts) and pediatric pulmonologists (doctors who treat problems with children’s lungs), there are developmental-behavioral pediatricians: doctors who treat problems of development and behavior in children. 

Why isn’t my pediatrician “enough”?

Pediatricians have generalized knowledge of typical child development, but they may not have a lot of extra training on the things that can go “wrong” in childhood. A developmental pediatrician does have that extra training, and they are knowledgeable about conditions that can affect your child’s development. They can act as a source of information and another teammate, as you work to help your child learn new skills and thrive.

Do I need one?

Talk to your existing therapists if you think you might want to pursue an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. And if you don’t already have any therapists in the picture, consider reaching out to a developmental pediatrician for an initial appointment. They can really help start to put the pieces in place as you work to help your child.

All my best-

Gabriele