Autism and Communication Center - Lawrence, MALawrence 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: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician Doctors in Lawrence * Patriot Pediatrics  Pediatric Associates of Medford PC  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  NEMC Center for Children with Special Needs  Children's Hospital Boston Developmental Medicine Center  Children's Hospital Boston Developmental Medicine Center  Children's Hospital Boston Developmental Medicine Center  Children's Hospital Boston Developmental Medicine Center  Children's Hospital Boston Developmental Medicine Center  Children's Hospital Boston Developmental Medicine Center  Children's Hospital Boston Adolescent Substance Abuse  Children's Hospital Boston Developmental Medicine Center  Child and Adolescent Health Specialists PC Lawrence, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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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 Lawrence
Nearby Lawrence Hospitals *Lawrence General Hospital Caritas Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center Northeast Rehabilitation Health Network Isham Health Center Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Haverhill Merrimack Valley Hospital Tewksbury Hospital Baldpate Hospital Saints Medical Center Lowell General Hospital HC Solomon Mental Health Center Hampstead Hospital Parkland Medical Center Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital Anna Jaques Hospital Southern New Hampshire Medical Center Lahey Clinic Medical Center St Joseph Hospital Kindred Hospital Boston North Shore  Winchester Hospital  North Shore Medical Center  HEALTHSOUTH New England Rehabilitation Hospital  Beverly Hospital  Melrose Wakefield Hospital  North Shore Children's Hospital  Salem Hospital & the Birthplace  Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital  Emerson Hospital  Lawrence Memorial Hospital  Whidden Memorial Hospital  McLean Hospital  Exeter Hospital  Somerville Hospital  Lawrence F Quigley Memorial Hospital  Nashoba Valley Medical Center  Mount Auburn Hospital  Elliot Hospital  Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center  Cambridge Hospital  Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital  M I T Medical  Massachusetts General Hospital  Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital  Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary  Arbour HRI Hospital  Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center  Franciscan Hospital for Children  Kindred Hospital Boston  Manchester VA Medical Center  Addison Gilbert Hospital  Catholic Medical Center  Tufts New England Medical Center  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Children's Hospital Boston  Dana Farber Cancer Institute  Brigham & Women's Hospital  Boston Medical Center  New England Baptist Hospital  VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus  Newton Wellesley Hospital  Arbour Hospital  Radius Specialty Hospital Boston  Faulkner Hospital  Bournewood Hospital  Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged  Lemuel Shattuck Hospital  Massachusetts Mental Health Center  VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus  Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham  Caritas Carney Hospital  Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick  MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital  Portsmouth Regional Hospital  UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital  Milton Hospital 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. |
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