Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics

Experience

Our physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, psychologists, therapists, nurses and office staff work closely together to best support your child, before, during and long after your initial visit. Many of our visits focus on a multidisciplinary approach which includes the developmental behavioral pediatrician and therapist teams that are chosen to meet the needs of your child at the time of visit. Developmental, cognitive, autism and achievement testing are all available depending on the needs of your child and may happen in one visit or over multiple visits.

The entire staff is dedicated to evaluating and treating pediatric patients starting from infancy and before they enter school through adolescence. Our team has many years of experience and a great depth of knowledge about childhood development. Our specialists include:

• Board-certified developmental behavioral pediatricians
• Board-certified neurologist
• Pediatric advanced nurse practitioners
• Social workers
• Psychologists
• Speech therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Physical therapists
• Nurses
• Dedicated office staff

Our team works closely with all other Lurie Children’s specialists as needed, including close affiliations with the Divisions of Neonatology, Neurology, Genetics, Primary Care, Psychiatry, Audiology, Ophthalmology, ENT, Epilepsy, Nutrition and Rehabilitative Services. 

Approach

Many children with developmental concerns may experience challenges with cognitive, speech, or language function. Some children may struggle with sleep, behavioral and emotional issues, or other health conditions. Our team can provide evaluation, consultation, and treatment in a variety of areas.

• Medical Concerns: Our clinic may provide the medical services listed below.
  • Medical consultation/targeted referral for specific concerns
  • Preventative medical screenings and recommendations
  • Coordination with primary care providers or outpatient pediatricians
• Speech and Language Therapist Evaluation
• Occupational Therapist Evaluation
• Physical Therapist Evaluation
• Psychologist Evaluation, Behavior Planning and Mental Health Support
• Social Work Evaluation

Every child is different and each family copes differently. The developmental and health concerns of one child can affect the entire family. Our social workers, nurses and psychologists may provide the following services:

• Mental health support
• Referral to community resources and parent groups
• Assistance with transitions and life-care planning
• Individual and family counseling upon request
• Patient-oriented group based therapies

In addition to this, we include the following outpatient family support services:

• Social skills group
• Parent support group

Conditions We Treat

• Developmental delays
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Down syndrome and other genetic syndromes associated with developmental delay
  • Many syndromes such as Down syndrome, Rett syndrome, Prader–Willi syndrome, fragile X syndrome and others are associated with developmental delays. We partner with the division of genetics to diagnose and treat these conditions and also provide ongoing specialized care to maximize quality of life and promote success.
• Intellectual disability or learning disabilities
  • Learning disabilities occur when a child has difficulty acquiring knowledge and skills at the same level and rate as their peers. Through cognitive testing we are able to assess for the presence of learning disabilities
  • Within the division, the doctors, nurses, psychologists or social workers can help with obtaining an assessment or making recommendations for an individualized education plan.
• Fussy babies
• ADD/ADHD
• Behavior concerns
  • Every child interacts with their environment differently. If you have concerns about your child displaying aggression, defiance, hyperactivity, tantrums, anger or anxiety we can help diagnose and treat the majority of non-emergent cases.

Meet the Team

Physicians 

Dana M. Brazdziunas, MD

Division Head

Dr. Brazdziunas is a board certified developmental behavioral pediatrician who has been in academic practice for over 25 years with special interest in children with autism spectrum disorders from a clinical, research, education and advocacy perspective. Her academic interests are is in the development of state of the art programs in the early diagnosis and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder and other related neurodevelopmental disorder as well as teaching health care providers at all levels early recognition of developmental disorder including autism spectrum disorder.  Her clinical focus is the diagnosis and treatment of young children with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays and speech/language problems. View profile. 

Lawrency A. Gray, MD

Attending Physician

View profile. 

Rachel K. Follmer, MD

Attending Physician

View profile. 

Meghan E. O'Neill, MD

Attending Physician

View profile. 

Nurse Practitioners

Psychologists 

Marie E. Weissbourd, PhD

Pediatric Psychologist

View profile. 

Medical Students & Residents

Medical students and residents learn about diagnosis and treatment of autism, autistic spectrum disorders, behavioral/developmental problems in young children, learning disorders, and intellectual disability in children through work with the division’s faculty.

Make an Appointment

Please call 1.800.543.7362 (1.800.KIDS DOC) to initiate all referrals into the Division of Developmental &  Behavioral Pediatrics. Once the referral has been entered, the office staff will then reach out to you to complete one of the questionnaires listed below. Appointments are scheduled after questionnaires have been completed, returned and reviewed. Prior to your appointment, we also encourage you to sign up for MyChart.

• Questionnaires for children under the age of three or are currently enrolled in Illinois Early Intervention: English | Español
• Questionnaires for children over the age of three: English | Español

Our division also requests for children who have received evaluations in the past, are currently in school or have an IEP, to please send a copy for review when questionnaires are submitted. 

Children Enrolled in Early Intervention

If your child is currently enrolled in Early Intervention, please call 1.800.543.7362 (1.800.KIDS DOC) to initiate the referral and have your service coordinator fax us a request for a medical diagnostic visit.  Appointments are scheduled for children in Early Intervention after the service coordinator has faxed the request.   

Submitting Completed Paperwork & Previous Evaluations

Mail to: 

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 16
Chicago IL 60611

OR

Fax to: 

312.227.9418

What to Expect at Your Appointment

To help you prepare for your child's appointment with the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, download our informational sheet.