Autism and Communication Center - Kansas City, MOKansas City Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician Doctors for Autism and CommunicationType of Physician: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician What is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Pediatrics; practitioners have a special interest in the developmental, learning, and behavioral problems of children, and in the support of parents and children during normal development and illness. Specialty: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Common Name: Kansas City, MissouriKansas City is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It encompasses 318 square miles (820 km2) in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties. It is one of two county seats of Jackson County, the other being Independence, just to the city's east. The city also serves as the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, second largest in Missouri, and largest with territory in Kansas (Wichita is the largest metropolitan area anchored in Kansas). Upcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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AutismWhat is autism?Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impaired development in communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism afflicts one out of every 100 to 166 children and it affects the lives of many children and their families (DiCicco-Bloom et al, 2006). It tends to affect about five boys to every one girl (First, 2008). Autism is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a category of disorders that is often described interchangeably with the broad spectrum of developmental disorders affecting young children and adults called the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). The range of these disorders varies from severely impaired individuals with autism to other individuals who have abnormalities of social interaction but normal intelligence--Asperger's syndrome. The ways in which autism is exhibited can differ greatly. Additionally, autism can be found in association with other disorders such as mental retardation and certain medical conditions. The degree of autism can range from mild to severe. Mildly affected individuals may appear very close to normal. Severely afflicted individuals may have an extreme intellectual disability and unable to function in almost any setting. In the past, autism has been confused with childhood schizophrenia or childhood psychosis, and may have been misunderstood as schizotypal personality disorder in some adults. As additional research information about autism becomes available, the scope and definition of the condition continues to become more refined. Some of the past confusion about the disorder has been resolved.
What are the symptoms of autism?The current Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition, Treatment Revision (DSM-IV-TR) identifies three features that are associated with autism:
Recommended Reading Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (In Children and Adults)Autism Screening and Diagnosis » Autism screening and diagnosis overviewDiagnosing autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) can be difficult, since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorders. Doctors look at the child's behavior and development to make a diagnosis. ASDs can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger. By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very reliable. However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until much older. This delay means that children with an ASD might not get the help they need. Diagnosing an ASD takes two steps: Developmental screeningDevelopmental screening is a short test to tell if children are learning basic skills when they should, or if they might have delays. During developmental screening the doctor might ask the parent some questions or talk and play with the child during an exam to see how she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves. A delay in any... Other Related Autism and Communication ArticlesEmergency Contact for Kansas City
Nearby Kansas City Hospitals * Western Missouri Mental Health Center  Children's Mercy Hospital & Clinics  Truman Medical Center Hospital Hill  Rainbow Mental Health Facility  University of Kansas Hospital & Medical Center  North Kansas City Hospital  Kansas City VA Medical Center  Saint Luke's Hospital  Research Psychiatric Center  Research Medical Center  Select Specialty Hospital Western Missouri  Two Rivers Psychiatric Hospital  Kindred Hospital Kansas City  Shawnee Mission Medical Center  Children's Mercy Northland  Saint Luke's Northland Hospital Barry Road Campus  Providence Medical Center  St Joseph Medical Center  Specialty Hospital of Mid America  Heartland Spine & Specialty Hospital  Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute  Doctor's Hospital  Mid-America Rehabilitation Hospital  Children's Mercy South  Centerpoint Medical Center  Crittenton Children's Center  Menorah Medical Center  Overland Park Regional Medical Center  Select Specialty Hospital Kansas City  Truman Medical Center Lakewood  Saint Luke's South Hospital  Liberty Hospital  Saint Luke's East  St Mary's Medical Center  Lee's Summit Medical Center  Saint Luke's Northland Hospital Smithville Campus  Research Belton Hospital  Olathe Medical Center  Saint John Hospital  VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System Leavenworth  Cushing Memorial Hospital  Excelsior Springs Medical Center  Meadowbrook Rehabilitation Hospital  Cass Regional Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Autism Spectrum Disorder (In Children and Adults) by Our Doctors
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Asperger's Syndrome (Asperger Syndrome, Asperger Disorder)
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