Parenting isn't easy. And the questions keep getting more difficult these days. Here are some of the concerns that I have heard recently:

Does my child have autism?

Why is my daughter so distracted at school? She can barely get through one math page.

My son keeps getting in trouble at recess. He bumps into the other kids waiting in line. He gets upset during "specials" and covers his ears. He doesn't want to eat in the lunch room. What could be the matter?

I just found out my daughter is "cutting". I am so shocked. She gets all A's. Is she suicidal?

My son is so smart. He started to talk early - his first words included "Barnes and Noble"! All he wants to do is play video games.  His teacher says he won't look at her when she is teaching.  How can he have bad grades when he knows so much about Star Wars?

Why should a child see a specialist in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics?

Dr. Annelise Spees is able to spend the time needed to obtain a comprehensive history as well as a detailed physical examination including neurological and physical signs that may provide clues to a diagnosis.

She can refer to the appropriate ancillary services for further evaluation. Any referral must be based on an initial diagnosis and medical necessity. A child with developmental concerns may need a number of different "points of view" to confirm and define a diagnosis. Dr. Annelise Spees can start the critical process of referring to the needed services for your child such as:

• General laboratory tests as well as genetic testing,
  
• Physical Therapy,
  
• Occupational Therapy,
  
• Speech Therapy,
  
• ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) Therapy,
  
• Psychological testing,
  
• Play Therapy, and
  
• Family Counseling.

After thorough evaluation results and information from other therapists have been reviewed, if a child requires medication to address significant issues at home and school, Dr. Annelise Spees is able to provide medication management.

Many children and teens with a Developmental-Behavioral diagnosis benefit from modifications and accommodations in the school setting. Dr. Annelise Spees is able to provide a letter requesting either an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or 504 Accommodations (based on the Americans With Disabilities Act, requiring a medical diagnosis) for the parent to take back to the school staff.

Dr. Spees will work with the child's primary health-care provider throughout the process. Usually a patient continues to receive ongoing preventive and acute health care services with the primary care provider. Sometimes a patient has continued visits with Dr. Spees for medication management and developmental follow-up. Sometimes the two-visit Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics evaluation is all that is needed.

It is so important to begin specialized therapies for a child with a developmental-behavioral problem as early as possible. Unfortunately, until now, the main way that a child received a diagnosis such as an Autism Spectrum Disorder was through a day-long comprehensive evaluation with physicians and therapists. The waiting list is up to six months for such a visit at most large centers.