Developmental Pediatrician

[pelers]

I know we don't have any developmental pediatricians locally, but does anyone have experience with any? Or know if any have offices down this way? All of them seem to be in DC and further north. My son's pediatrician wants us to see a developmental pediatrician. He went through the school's evaluation process and they were thinking autism.

I've made an appointment through Children's, but the first appointment they had was in October. I've left messages with Kennedy Krieger, and with a Dr. Valentine.

 

[acommondisaster]

I hate when people reference google, and here I'm guilty of doing the same thing. I found a
Dr. Sharon B. Richter, DO
Specializes in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics 200 Forbes St Ste 200
Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 263-6363 (Office) in Annapolis - I'm assuming that's closer for you. She seems to have good reviews, but I can't personally vouch for her.

My experience with a special needs child goes back 30 years and I was in the Navy. The Navy doctors had no interest or background in developmental delays at that time. My greatest resource was FB Gwynn (Charles County). They were a wealth of resources for us and I don't know what I've had done without them. I hope there is some place like that for you in whichever county you are in. Odd that your pediatrician didnt have a resource for you. Good luck.

 

[Bann]

I know we don't have any developmental pediatricians locally, but does anyone have experience with any? Or know if any have offices down this way? All of them seem to be in DC and further north. My son's pediatrician wants us to see a developmental pediatrician. He went through the school's evaluation process and they were thinking autism.

I've made an appointment through Children's, but the first appointment they had was in October. I've left messages with Kennedy Krieger, and with a Dr. Valentine.

I cannot recommend Dr. Valentine highly enough. My son saw a developmental pediatrician for about 20 years of his life. We have been very lucky to have had the best, IMO. Dr. Valentine used to practice here at CMH, but the closed their developmental pediatric department for some reason. We moved with Dr. V a couple of times, but then Thing1 turned 21 and we didn't have a need for that specialty.

Kennedy Krieger is also very good, I know several people with children who have seen doctors there. I am not familiar with any Drs. at Children's at this time, the doctors I used to know may well be gone. However, they have a very good developmental pediatrics department. It is crazy to have that long of a wait. IF you can get Dr. V - I would go to him, even though you basically need a whole day to travel to see him for an appointment, I'm sure. (Baltimore area, right?)

 

[Bann]

I hate when people reference google, and here I'm guilty of doing the same thing. I found a
Dr. Sharon B. Richter, DO
Specializes in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics 200 Forbes St Ste 200
Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 263-6363 (Office) in Annapolis - I'm assuming that's closer for you. She seems to have good reviews, but I can't personally vouch for her.

My experience with a special needs child goes back 30 years and I was in the Navy. The Navy doctors had no interest or background in developmental delays at that time. My greatest resource was FB Gwynn (Charles County). They were a wealth of resources for us and I don't know what I've had done without them. I hope there is some place like that for you in whichever county you are in. Odd that your pediatrician didnt have a resource for you. Good luck.

Our luck with military doctors was amazing, just a few years later, it sounds like. Thing1 started seeing the head of the developmental pediatrics at the time at Bethesda National Medical Center - about late 1991-1992, I think. Dr. Charles Conlon (Captain, USN at the time) was his dr. Then when we moved to Va. Beach, he saw a doctor who, about 6 months later, became the head of the developmental pediatrics dept at Portsmouth Naval Hospital. I believe his last name was Norwood. He kept Thing1 on his caseload, so we were very lucky to have been assigned to him.

Fast forward to 2005 when we moved back to this area - Dr. Conlon was at Children's. I think he has since retired.

 

[pelers]

I cannot recommend Dr. Valentine highly enough. My son saw a developmental pediatrician for about 20 years of his life. We have been very lucky to have had the best, IMO. Dr. Valentine used to practice here at CMH, but the closed their developmental pediatric department for some reason. We moved with Dr. V a couple of times, but then Thing1 turned 21 and we didn't have a need for that specialty.

Kennedy Krieger is also very good, I know several people with children who have seen doctors there. I am not familiar with any Drs. at Children's at this time, the doctors I used to know may well be gone. However, they have a very good developmental pediatrics department. It is crazy to have that long of a wait. IF you can get Dr. V - I would go to him, even though you basically need a whole day to travel to see him for an appointment, I'm sure. (Baltimore area, right?)

So I got an appointment with UMD for next week, up in the Baltimore area. Dr. Valentine is currently practicing there, but he is leaving that location shortly as well so my appointment is with the nurse practitioner. I'm still trying to get in touch with Kennedy Krieger, I put in an appointment request through their website and am hoping to hear back today.

What all does a developmental pedi do? The reason Dr. Sheth wanted us to look into it was because he wasn't sure the school's autism diagnosis was correct. Beyond confirming a diagnosis (autism or something else) what do we see this doctor for? I don't think my son needs to be medicated for anything. If anything, I think speech and maybe OT would help. Are there any places locally (I'm in Lexington Park) other than Personalized Therapy that do that for kids? We've gone through the school's IEP process, but other than having him in a special education pre-k they don't really seem to be pushing any individual or small group therapies.

 

[Roman]

So I got an appointment with UMD for next week, up in the Baltimore area. Dr. Valentine is currently practicing there, but he is leaving that location shortly as well so my appointment is with the nurse practitioner. I'm still trying to get in touch with Kennedy Krieger, I put in an appointment request through their website and am hoping to hear back today.

What all does a developmental pedi do? The reason Dr. Sheth wanted us to look into it was because he wasn't sure the school's autism diagnosis was correct. Beyond confirming a diagnosis (autism or something else) what do we see this doctor for? I don't think my son needs to be medicated for anything. If anything, I think speech and maybe OT would help. Are there any places locally (I'm in Lexington Park) other than Personalized Therapy that do that for kids? We've gone through the school's IEP process, but other than having him in a special education pre-k they don't really seem to be pushing any individual or small group therapies.

Since when did the school system start diagnosing children? My daughter is a teacher in Calvert County, and she said that they can recommend a child go see a certain group, but that they are not allowed to diagnose a child with anything. My son was in special education up until high school. I felt as though the school system labeled him, and were willing to keep him in a certain category, instead of seeing what he was capable of doing. He is about to retire from the Coast Guard, owns a new home, and is supporting his family. His wife doesn't work outside the home. I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom, so I put a lot of time in, making sure that he wasn't brushed under the rug to stagnate within the system. I often wondered if the system had to have "X" amount of special education kids in order to a lot money from the government?

 

[pelers]

Since when did the school system start diagnosing children? My daughter is a teacher in Calvert County, and she said that they can recommend a child go see a certain group, but that they are not allowed to diagnose a child with anything. My son was in special education up until high school. I felt as though the school system labeled him, and were willing to keep him in a certain category, instead of seeing what he was capable of doing. He is about to retire from the Coast Guard, owns a new home, and is supporting his family. His wife doesn't work outside the home. I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom, so I put a lot of time in, making sure that he wasn't brushed under the rug to stagnate within the system. I often wondered if the system had to have "X" amount of special education kids in order to a lot money from the government?

So it's not an "official" diagnosis from the school. We went through several evaluations with a team of speech therapists and child psychologists to determine if he needed additional services through the school. They explained that in MD the "label" is not required to receive services, just the results of the evaluation. They pushed us for autism, but we settled on developmental delay.

Dr. Sheth wants the second opinion on autism because the school DOES get additional money for students they evaluate to have autism so he feels they diagnose it a bit too freely.

We know there is definitely something wrong. His speech is miles behind where it should be, he does have social issues, plus a whole host of other little things that just add up. I'm not convinced it is autism, though he does show a lot of the signs. I don't know, I feel really lost right now. I want him to be happy, I want to set him up for success, but the way things are heading right now I'm terrified of him going into kindergarten. He won't participate in the activities in pre-k and I worry that he's just going to get steamrolled and left behind when he moves up to full day activities. He just will not perform on demand. He knows the stuff, he just only likes to showcase it when it suits him.

I don't know that stepping things up on the medical side is going to help. Maybe it's not a behavioral thing, maybe it's something physical. He's never really had any tests done to check for things. I just don't know. =/

 

[Roman]

When my daughter was in Pre-K, they were concerned that she couldn't walk across the balance beam. When I was in Kindergarten, it was more for socialization. Now, the child needs to know their ABC's, and a host of other stuff. Each child develops at their own pace. My son didn't talk until he was almost 4. Relax, and see what happens in a full-day setting. I'm not saying for you NOT to go through the channels with your son, but to have an open mind and see what happens. You are your son's best advocate, and you know him far better than any educated person does. No sense in worrying about something that hasn't happened yet. There is a neurologist here in Calvert County. I am probably spelling his name wrong, it's Dr Kerasidis. He might be able to point you, and your Doctors in the right direction. He works with children, and adults.

 

[pelers]

When my daughter was in Pre-K, they were concerned that she couldn't walk across the balance beam. When I was in Kindergarten, it was more for socialization. Now, the child needs to know their ABC's, and a host of other stuff. Each child develops at their own pace. My son didn't talk until he was almost 4. Relax, and see what happens in a full-day setting. I'm not saying for you NOT to go through the channels with your son, but to have an open mind and see what happens. You are your son's best advocate, and you know him far better than any educated person does. No sense in worrying about something that hasn't happened yet. There is a neurologist here in Calvert County. I am probably spelling his name wrong, it's Dr Kerasidis. He might be able to point you, and your Doctors in the right direction. He works with children, and adults.

Thanks, nobody at this point had even mentioned seeing a neurologist. I'll have my husband ask at the appointment next week if we could do follow up stuff that way, it would be a lot easier on everyone only having to drive to Calvert vs Baltimore.

 

[Bann]

Thanks, nobody at this point had even mentioned seeing a neurologist. I'll have my husband ask at the appointment next week if we could do follow up stuff that way, it would be a lot easier on everyone only having to drive to Calvert vs Baltimore.

I would really wait for the developmental pediatrician appointment - they are the best specialty for any type of developmental issues with peds. It will be worth the wait.

 

[Roman]

I would really wait for the developmental pediatrician appointment - they are the best specialty for any type of developmental issues with peds. It will be worth the wait.

She is following up with the DP. I didn't say that she shouldn't. I merely made a suggestion.

 

[Bann]

She is following up with the DP. I didn't say that she shouldn't. I merely made a suggestion.

You did say there was a neurologist in Calvert Count, who may be able to point her in the right direction - and that he sees adults and children.

I merely made a suggestion, as well. A pediatric neurologist may well be suggested by a Developmental Ped. I just offered my suggestion to see the Developmental Ped first. Basically, they would then coordinate/manage all other drs. anyway, as they typically are the primary care physican. Or, rather, the Dev. Ped was in my son's case.

 

[pelers]

Been there, hugs to you, if it's anything, I hope it's minor.

Thanks. We're also hoping it's minor. He's definitely functional. Actually had some rather nerve wracking examples of his attempts to be independent this weekend. While I was folding laundry upstairs he and his sister decided that it was time for second dinner. They got out one of those microwavable things of mac n cheese, removed the lid, took out the foil packet with cheese junk in it (so thankful they got that step), and put it in the microwave. Only thing they forgot was the water. Scorched pasta smells very similar to scorched popcorn, and the stench is just about as difficult to get rid of. Thank goodness it was warm this weekend and we were able to open the windows a bit. Let me tell ya, that whiff of something burning is terrifying and I'm pretty sure I literally flew down the stairs.

In the event the DP suggests it, does anyone have any experience with speech and occupational therapy places other than Personalized Therapy? Did some googling this morning and found a couple of places in St. Mary's and Calvert. Haven't called to check insurance coverage or reviews at any of them yet.

• St. Mary's Hospital (ST and OT, Leonardtown)
• Calvert Hospital (ST and OT, Prince Frederick)
• Coordinated Movements (ST and OT, Charlotte Hall)
• Speak Well Solutions (ST, Leonardtown)
• Sense-Ability (OT, Leonardtown)

Any others that I'm missing?

 

[Bann]

Thanks. We're also hoping it's minor. He's definitely functional. Actually had some rather nerve wracking examples of his attempts to be independent this weekend. While I was folding laundry upstairs he and his sister decided that it was time for second dinner. They got out one of those microwavable things of mac n cheese, removed the lid, took out the foil packet with cheese junk in it (so thankful they got that step), and put it in the microwave. Only thing they forgot was the water. Scorched pasta smells very similar to scorched popcorn, and the stench is just about as difficult to get rid of. Thank goodness it was warm this weekend and we were able to open the windows a bit. Let me tell ya, that whiff of something burning is terrifying and I'm pretty sure I literally flew down the stairs.

In the event the DP suggests it, does anyone have any experience with speech and occupational therapy places other than Personalized Therapy? Did some googling this morning and found a couple of places in St. Mary's and Calvert. Haven't called to check insurance coverage or reviews at any of them yet.

[*]St. Mary's Hospital (ST and OT, Leonardtown)
[*]Calvert Hospital (ST and OT, Prince Frederick)
[*]Coordinated Movements (ST and OT, Charlotte Hall)
[*]Speak Well Solutions (ST, Leonardtown)
[*]Sense-Ability (OT, Leonardtown)


Any others that I'm missing?

My son received OT and speech therapy through the school system, in St. Mary's county when he was in first the Infants & Toddlers program (18mos up to 3) and then continued to receive OT (and at times, speech depending on what goals were met and when) from age 3 - thru mid elementary school.

 

[Bann]

Sorry, hit send too soon! I would think these services could be addressed in an IEP meeting so that he could receive them in school.