• Medical Specialists
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Our Doctors
  • Christine Houlihan, MD
  • Amy Newmeyer, MD
• Our Psychologists
  • Lynn Page, PhD
  • Janice Keener, PsyD
  • Megan McVea, PhD
  • Lisa Ulmer, PhD
• Our Nurse Practitioners
  • Michelle Atwood, FNP-BC
  • Jessi Simpson, CPNP
• How to Refer
  • How to Refer to Developmental Pediatrics

Developmental Pediatrics

Developmental Pediatrics at CHKD provides consultations for the evaluation, diagnosis and management of children with developmental disabilities. Our program has been designated as a Child Development Center through the Virginia Department of Health.

Learn About Our Autism Interdisciplinary Clinic

Conditions We Treat

• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Birth defects
• Cerebral palsy
• Down syndrome 
• Intellectual disability
• Learning and attention disorders
• Sensory and language disorders
• Medical management of behavioral problems in developmentally delayed children

Note: Developmental Pediatrics at CHKD are not psychiatrists and does not provide any counseling services.

We tailor each child's treatment plan according to his or her unique needs. We may recommend a consultation with a developmental pediatrician, lab tests, or other services depending on your child's assessment. 

Our Team

• Our developmental pediatricians are board certified in neurodevelopmental disabilities and developmental behavioral pediatrics. They provide a comprehensive medical evaluation to identify underlying neurological concerns related to developmental delays.
• Our pediatric psychologists specialize in working with children with developmental delays. They provide evaluations to confirm or provide clarifying diagnoses for such conditions as Autism Spectrum Disorders, learning disabilities, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
• Our nurse practitioners have extensive experience and training in medication management and treatment of children with developmental delays.
• Our clinical nurses are well versed in working with children with special needs and ensure a seamless office visit.
• Our autism resource coordinator provides families with ongoing support and care and ensures families are connected with community resources. 
• Our licensed clinical social workers provide intake appointments to obtain a detailed developmental history and ensure patients are receiving the necessary services while they wait for their appointments with the developmental pediatrician and/or their evaluation appointment with psychology.
• Our education consultants provide support for families who have questions about current academic supports and services.

Your Appointment: What to Expect 

You and your child will meet with one of our developmental pediatricians.

The visit may include the following:

• Review of your child's medical history
• Review of your child’s school records
• Review of your child's development
• Discussion of your specific concerns for your child
• Neurological and physical examination for your child
• Standardized developmental testing, if needed

Based upon initial assessment, additional standardized testing may be requested from speech pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy or psychology. These additional tests help us make the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for your child.

Once the assessments are completed, you will meet back with the developmental pediatrician or psychologist to review the testing results and discuss treatment options.

Important Office Policies

Children under 6 years of age with behavioral problems such as ADHD will be initially referred for behavior therapy. Medication management will not be initiated until there has been an appropriate trial of behavior therapy services. This policy is in alignment with national guidelines for treatment of young children with behavior disorders. For additional information about behavior therapy, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's review of ADHD behavior therapy.

Insurance and Referral Information

Children referred to CHKD's developmental pediatrics department include premature infants, children with developmental delays and/or genetic syndromes, children with speech and motor delays, or students failing school. 

• All patients have to be referred by a physician. 
• The referring physician’s office must call for the first appointment. 
• If you have an insurance that requires a referral you should ask your PCP to start the referral process. They will not automatically start it for you. 
• Tricare Prime referrals must be received by our office before an appointment can be made. This is the only insurance that a parent can call for the first time appointment after our office has received the referral. 

If you have questions about your bill, please call (757) 668-7200. We also offer in-depth information about insurance in our billing and insurance section.