Developmental pediatrician

A developmental pediatrician is a children's doctor with extra training in child development. Their formal title is developmental and behavioral pediatrician. They first train for three years as pediatricians and become board certified. Then they spend three more years in fellowship training and pass a board exam in this specialty. Board certification in this field began in 2002.

These doctors look at developmental delays in speech, language, movement and thinking, as well as learning problems, sleep and feeding problems, and autism. They're one of several kinds of specialists who can diagnose autism. Child neurologists (doctors for the brain, spine and nerves) and child psychologists or psychiatrists can too.

A visit often starts with a referral from your child's main doctor. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that families can wait a long time to be seen. Before you go, fill out any forms the office sends. You can also take videos of the behaviors you want to discuss. Notes from teachers and reports from past testing help too. Some clinics see children over a few visits or by telehealth.

• Ask the doctor's office: Ask what to send or bring before the first visit, such as forms, videos and school notes.
• Ask the doctor: Ask whether the evaluation will take one visit or several, and who else on the team will see your child.
• Ask your plan: If therapy is recommended, ask your health plan which specialists' diagnoses it accepts for approval.