young boy and nurse

Developmental Disabilities & Delays

Developmental disabilities and delays can start soon after birth. If your child is missing milestones and you feel their progress is behind that of other children their age, you may have questions.  "Why isn't my child crawling?", "Why isn't my child talking?" or "How can I help my child with learning problems in school?"

While many kids will catch up on their own, having your child assessed can help catch problems early.

What Our Developmental Pediatricians Do

At UVA Health Children's, your child will be assessed by our multi-disciplinary care team. We diagnose and treat developmental problems in babies, children and teenagers. We'll connect you to community resources, including school intervention programs and social services agencies.

See us for evaluations of your child's growth in:

  • Language
  • Motor skills
  • Cognitive abilities
  • Behavior
  • Social development

Registered dietitians can help assess your child's nutrition and diet needs.

Prenatal Consultations

Many developmental disabilities, such as Down syndrome or spina bifida, may be detected before a child is born. Our doctors offer prenatal counseling to educate parents about the special needs of children with developmental disabilities.

Conditions We Treat

  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Sensory processing disorder
  • Spina bifida (myelomeningocele)
  • Intellectual disabilities 
Evaluating Developmental Disabilities & Delays

Autism Support

We offer support groups and activities for families of children with autism spectrum disorder, including workshops on social skills.

Learn more about the support we offer at the UVA Child Development and Rehabilitation Center.

Early Intervention for Preschoolers

We provide evaluations and next-step recommendations for preschool-aged children with a variety of developmental and behavioral concerns through our Developmental Pediatrics Clinic.

Your child's primary care doctor continues to provide your child's regular wellness checks and sick visits. But we'll check in periodically to check on your child's progress. Together, we'll determine if other services may be helpful.