Our Philosophy

Children are complex organisms:

There can be a number of reasons for a child's problem and it is seldom something as "simple" as ADHD. Children have strengths and weaknesses. It is critical to identify these unique characteristics in order to help the child. It is easy to give a simple diagnoses such as ADHD and place the child on medication, however the child may have learning disorders or familial problems affecting their attention skills, academic performance and behavior.

Sometimes children are just children and the problem is normal for their developmental level

We see a number of children who are referred because it is suspected they have disorders such as ADHD or behavioral issues. In many cases, after thorough evaluation we find many of these children at the high end of normal for temperamentally challenging traits. While it is important to uncover real diagnoses and problems, it is just as important to understand that some children are in the normal range and need minor and not major interventions.

Common problems in children - For each disorder, we will show how our approach is different, how we make a diagnosis, and solutions:

ADHD

How our approach is different:

Many children are referred to our office because teachers, parents, or providers say the child has ADHD. Children who are given this label often have problems controlling there behavior at home or school, or cannot "focus" at school and have difficulty learning. ADHD is a term that often does not describe the many problems that contribute to behavior and learning difficulties. It is often diagnosed with a questionnaire or simply by parents and teachers observations. Very often, ADHD is a simple label that is used to refer to complex problems that may have many different origins and solutions.

Making the diagnosis:

Our approach is to figure out what is causing the child’s behavior problems and/ or learning difficulties. This can include neurological disorders such as autism, medical problems such as sleep apnea or anemia, or learning difficulties such as auditory processing deficits or dyslexia. Sometimes children have challenging temperamental traits that make it difficult for them to control their behavior; such as poor adaptability, intensity and their responses, or high activity levels.

Once we have a general idea what the problem might be, we administer specific tests to children, including tests of language, attention and memory problem-solving.

Solutions:

Once we determine the child’s difficulty, we make recommendations to remediate the specific weaknesses, as well as utilize the strengths of the child to improve their self-esteem and help overcome their learning problems. We usually recommend medication after other learning and behavior strategies have been attempted.

Autism

How our approach is different:

Autism is a disorder that is both unrecognized and misdiagnosed. Some children have behavior, social, and learning problems that are not easily explained. Autism spectrum disorders are increasingly recognize as the source of these difficulties. We often see children who are teenagers and have no diagnoses or are diagnosed with retardation, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. This is because autism symptoms can be similar to these disorders. For example, children with autism can have violent mood swings and sleep problems similar to children with bipolar disorder. Providers, parents, and teachers sometimes did not understand or recognize neurological symptoms and label children using stereotypes and do not understand the clinical diagnosis of autism.

Making the diagnosis:

Our approach is to determine what the child's actual symptoms are by reviewing previous evaluations and interviewing parents. We then test children's language and cognitive abilities, and assess their interaction and communication skills. If necessary, we provide additional testing and historical information from other providers or family members.

Solutions:

Once we have determined the child has autism we refer the family to the appropriate agencies, with specific recommendations and prescriptions for appropriate therapy. We also give recommendations for helping the child in school. Our office can often deal with many of the issues related to autism -including management of medications. A consultation with our nutritionist is recommended for nutritional deficiencies and feeding difficulties often associated with autism spectrum disorder.

Dyslexia/Reading Disorders

How our approach is different

Dyslexia is often unrecognized. As with other disorders, we try to determine other causes of children's academic difficulties, including reading disorders. Children can have language delays, autism, attention problems, or simply lack the motivation or readiness to learn to read. True dyslexia is usually attributed to an inability of the child to associate sounds with symbols, or to be very slow in doing so. As with other disorders, it is important to know why a child is having a problem before recommending solutions. Although previous testing can be useful, it may have underestimated the problem or recommended ineffective solutions. As with other disorders, children can be misdiagnosed with vision problems or social/emotional disorders.

Making the diagnosis:

We review other testing if it is available and specifically test a child's phonological minus, language, memory, and other neurodevelopmental functions that affect reading.

Solutions:

Children with reading problems are unique. Their difficulties have been identified yet seldom remediated. Schools are often insufficiently funded to provide the intensity of tutoring necessary. Most tutors charge $40 an hour or more, and do not always use scientifically accepted methods. For this reason, we have reading tutors on site that provide the necessary instruction at an affordable cost.

Bottom line:

We do our best to identify and support the child’s developmental needs and encourage everyone involved in the child’s life to do their part.

Our office believes that parents need to understand their child’s diagnosis. This can be painful and sometimes conflicting. We will give our honest opinion when asked about various therapies and treatments, even the most controversial.

We are strong advocates for patients and do our best to ensure they receive all necessary services and entitlement programs. We also believe that parents have an important role in obtaining services, carrying out our recommendations for treatment, and advocating for their children's care from schools and others.