Our Team

Our One Child, One Family, One Team approach is unique in that it brings together specialists in the fields of pediatric medicine, child development, psychology, psychiatry, disabilities, speech and language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, dietetics, social work, assistive technology and insurance, for each child’s assessment and treatment plan.

All team members meet regularly and work collaboratively, in an ongoing process, so that we can deliver integrated and coordinated services to you.

Our team members specialize in services for children with:

• Complex developmental needs
• Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
• Attachment and relationship issues
• Behavioral or emotional problems, including ADD/ADHD
• Feeding and eating problems
• Cognitive and learning difficulties
• Social difficulties
• Exposure to trauma 
• Family and life transitions

Following is a description of key services we provide through our transdisciplinary team:

• Care coordination – Care coordinators will help you pull together and organize all the available information about your child, so that you can have a full understanding of your child and his needs. Our team will support you and your family to assure your child’s plan is understood and followed by everyone involved (e.g. teachers, child’s physician, and therapists). Care coordinators will also review and discuss insurance options based upon your plan and will work with you on a variety of payment options, including insurance reimbursement, a sliding fee scale, and eligibility for state funding.
• Medical – The medical team includes our developmental pediatrician, Dr. Daniel B. Kessler, who will conduct a medical record review, act as a liaison with other medical specialists, and provide consultation and evaluation.
• Psychology and Counseling – Our team includes child psychologists and masters level counselors with advanced training in the highly specialized field of infant and early childhood mental health. They will work with you to develop an individualized plan for your family in support of your child’s social-emotional development. This may include helping with parent-child relationship concerns, conducting psychological assessments for your child, and help with learning or cognitive concerns, or providing psychiatric services.
•  Speech-Language Therapy – The speech-language pathologist's role is to work with you to help your child to expand their communication and understanding skills. Children communicate in many different ways including using words, pointing or gesturing. Your speech-language pathologist (SLP) will help develop a plan that builds upon your child's strengths, and expands their communication abilities. The SLP will also look for underlying issues that may be impacting your child’s ability to communicate effectively. Our SLPs have special expertise in the area of diagnosing and treating feeding/eating problems.
• Occupational Therapy – Therapy will include looking at your child’s small muscle development and coordination. Developing these muscles strengthens your child's fine motor skills which are used in everyday activities such as bathing, dressing and eating. Therapists may also identify textures, sounds, movements, and other sensory experiences that are upsetting or uncomfortable for your child. Your occupational therapist (OT) will work in partnership with you to identify specific goals for your child and implement a therapy plan. Our OTs also have special expertise in the area of diagnosing and treating feeding/eating problems.
• Physical Therapy – The physical therapist (PT) will work with you to evaluate your child’s larger motor skills, such as rolling over, pulling themselves up to stand, walking, climbing and other activities that use large muscle groups. Therapists will identify issues with your child’s balance, coordination or strength. Your PT will provide guidance on how you can help your child build skills and be able to fully participate in family routines and activities.
• Developmental Special Instruction (DSI) – Our DSI staff (sometimes referred to as early interventionists) help you discover ways to implement the therapists’ recommendations in your everyday life. DSI staff also focus on children’s problem-solving, play, and social skills. They are knowledgeable about other community resources and will provide referrals and assistance in making those connections for your family when appropriate.
• Registered Dietitian – The dietitian is a critical member of our team who helps families understand their child’s special nutritional needs and how they can be met in a cost-effective, culturally responsive, and family-friendly way. Children coming to the Developmental Center often have complex feeding/eating issues which can result in weight loss or failure to gain adequate weight, delayed or stunted growth, lowered energy, inability to eat a variety of essential-rich foods, and becoming dependent on tube feedings. Dietitian support and services play an integral part in assessing, supporting, and treating these children.
• Assistive Technology Specialists – Assistive Technology specialists provide support for high and low-tech solutions that enable children with disabilities to communicate, play with toys, read, use the computer, achieve mobility, and interact successfully with others. They work with you to understand your child’s current abilities and connect them with technology tools that provide access to their world at home, school and the community. Examples include simple foam seating to help a child sit up for the first time, and speech-generating devices for children who are unable to speak. Assistive technology can be very effective in helping children on the autism spectrum communicate.

Our team welcomes the opportunity to work with you to provide the best services possible for a bright and happy future for your child and family.