Autism and Communication Center - Union, NJUnion 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 Union * Newark Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Childrens Specialized Hospital  Childrens Specialized Hospital  Childrens Specialized Hospital  University Hospital Pediatrics Specialty Practice  Meenakshee Majithia MD  Robert Wood Johnson Pediatrics Child Neurology  Jersey Shore Radiology Associates  Child Evaluation Center at Jersey Shore University  Developmental Disabilities Health Alliance  Childrens Specialized Hospital Union, New JerseyUpcoming 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 Union
Nearby Union Hospitals *Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Children's Hospital of New Jersey Trinitas Hospital Williamson Campus East Orange Campus of the VA New Jersey Health Care System Trinitas Hospital New Point Campus Overlook Hospital Children's Specialized Hospital Mountainside East Orange General Hospital Saint Barnabas Medical Center Summit Oaks Hospital The University Hospital  Kindred Hospital New Jersey Rahway  Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway  St James Hospital of Newark  Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation West Orange  Clara Maass Medical Center West Hudson  Clara Maass Medical Center  Bayonne Medical Center  Runnells Specialized Hospital of Union County  Mountainside Hospital  Woodbridge Development Center  Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center  Richmond University Medical Center  JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute  JFK Medical Center  Essex County Hospital Center  Bayley Seton Campus  Jersey City Medical Center  Christ Hospital  Morristown Memorial Hospital  Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center  Care One at Raritan Bay  Staten Island University Hospital North Site  Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital  Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute  Hoboken University Medical Center  South Beach Psychiatric Center  Raritan Bay Medical Center Perth Amboy Division  Staten Island University Hospital South Site  Lutheran Medical Center  New York Downtown Hospital  Long Island College Hospital  St Mary's Hospital  Brooklyn Campus of the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System  St Vincent's Hospital & Medical Center of New York  Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital  Maimonides Medical Center  Beth Israel Medical Center Petrie Division  Lyons Campus of the VA New Jersey Health Care System  New York Eye & Ear Infirmary  NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases  The Brooklyn Hospital Center  St Joseph's Children's Hospital  St Joseph's Regional Medical Center  New York Methodist Hospital  VA New York Harbor Healthcare System New York Campus  Bellevue Hospital Center  St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center  NYU Langone Medical Center  Palisades Medical Center  Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine  University Behavioral Healthcare  Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation Saddle Brook  Manhattan Eye Ear & Throat Hospital  Saint Peter's University Hospital  Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital  Goldwater Specialty Hospital & Nursing Facility  Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital  Hackensack University Medical Center  Lenox Hill Hospital  Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center  New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Campus  The Rockefeller University Hospital  Saint Clare's Hospital Boonton Township  Saint Clare's Hospital Denville 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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Seizure (Epilepsy)
- Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy. Treatment of epilepsy (seizures) depends upon the cause and type of seizures experienced.
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Learning Disabilities
- Learning disabilities can cause an individual to have trouble learning and using skills such as reading, listening, writing, reading, speaking, reasoning, and performing mathematics. There is no cure for learning disabilities. Parents and teachers working together to properly diagnose learning disabilities can properly plan a course of education. For some, medication may be appropriate as complimentary treatment.
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Fragile X Syndrome
- Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of mental retardation. It's caused by a mutation on the X chromosome. People with Fragile X syndrome suffer from physical, social, emotional, speech, language, sensory, intelligence, and learning impairments. There is no definitive treatment for Fragile X, though there are ways to minimize the symptoms.
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Mitochondrial Disease
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Pervasive Development Disorders
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Seizures Symptoms and Types
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Asperger's Syndrome (Asperger Syndrome, Asperger Disorder)
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Parenting
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Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
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Auditory Processing Disorder in Children
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Face Blindness (Prosopagnosia)
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) FAQs
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