Autism and Communication Center - St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg *![]() All Children's Hospital Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics St. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg (often shortened to St. Pete) is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The city is known as a vacation destination for North American and European vacationers.
With a purported average of some 360 days of sunshine each year, it is nicknamed "The Sunshine City." For that reason, the city is a popular tourist and retirement destination, especially for those in the United States from colder Northern climates ? particularly New York City, Detroit, and Chicago. However, in recent years the population has shifted in a more youthful direction.
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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 St. Petersburg
Nearby St. Petersburg Hospitals *![]() St Anthony's Hospital ![]() Edward White Hospital ![]() All Children's Hospital ![]() Bayfront Medical Center ![]() Kindred Hospital St Petersburg ![]() Northside Hospital & Tampa Bay Heart Institute ![]() St Petersburg General Hospital ![]() Palms of Pasadena Hospital ![]() Bay Pines VA Healthcare System ![]() Kindred Hospital Tampa ![]() Windmoor Healthcare of Clearwater ![]() Largo Medical Center ![]() HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Largo ![]() Sun Coast Hospital ![]() Memorial Hospital of Tampa ![]() Mease Countryside Hospital ![]() Tampa General Hospital ![]() Morton Plant Hospital ![]() Town & Country Hospital ![]() St Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa ![]() St Joseph's Hospital ![]() St Joseph's Women's Hospital ![]() University Community Hospital Carrollwood ![]() Kindred Hospital Central Tampa ![]() South Bay Hospital ![]() Mease Dunedin Hospital ![]() Manatee Memorial Hospital ![]() Blake Medical Center ![]() Shriners Hospital for Children ![]() Manatee Glens Hospital ![]() Manatee Palms Youth Services ![]() H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute ![]() James A Haley VA Medical Center ![]() University Community Hospital ![]() Brandon Regional Hospital ![]() Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital ![]() Lakewood Ranch Medical Center ![]() Community Hospital of New Port Richey ![]() Morton Plant North Bay Hospital ![]() Bayside Center for Behavioral Health ![]() Sarasota Memorial Hospital ![]() South Florida Baptist 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. |












































