The Developmental & Behavioral Pediatric Consultation

The evaluation process begins with an Initial Consultation, which is a series of visits, or Treatment Consultation, which is a single visit.

The Initial Consultation is an office visit with the parents only to obtain a comprehensive history and discuss the goals of treatment and therapeutic options. This visit may be sixty or ninety minutes depending upon the complexity of the problem. The next step is the Child Evaluation Visit (60 min). This may occur in the office or in certain cases at school or daycare. This is a diagnostic evaluation. The third of the initial visits the Feedback Visit (30 or 60 min) is for the parents only to discuss the evaluation results and treatment plan. Many parents feel this is a crucial visit as it is an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of their child's difficulties and their impact on the family.

If your child or teen has been previously evaluated, the initial visit will consist of a Treatment Consultation which includes the parents and child or teen together at the initial visit. The Treatment Consultation is approrpriate when there has been a prior diagnostic evaluation. Infants and Toddlers four years of age or younger may also be seen initially as a Treatment Consultation for their first office visit without prior diagnostic testing. At younger ages the initial history is generally less complex and the initial evaluaiton may be completed in a single visit. Quite frequently the Treatment Consultation in a young child will require and additional Feedback Visit to go over details of the treatment plan and the results of the evaluation.

Young Adults up to age 29 with a history of learning, developmental, and emotional problems from childhood are also welcome to join the practice as patients. In these cases an Initial Adult Visit may be scheduled.

Due to the individualized nature of consultations this is only a blueprint, there may be situations where the schedule of visits will vary. 

For new patients who would like to meet Dr. Aronson-Ramos before scheduling a full evaluation she has created the Preliminary Consultation Visit which can be done in person or by phone. This sixty minute visit is for the parents only. This provides an opportunity to meet Dr. Aronson-Ramos and discuss their concerns at length. At the end of this sessions families will have a clear understanding of the evaluation process, the different treatment approaches available and if necessary referral to the appropriate resources if she is unable to meet your needs. Some families choose to continue on in the practice and schedule a child evaluation and complete the evaluation process and become patients.

Follow-up Visits (30 or 60 min) are tailored to the individual needs of the patient. Medication monitoring requires a minimum of a thirty minute visit every four months.  In certain cases more frequent visits may be needed. Children who are being monitored for developmental progress may require longer intervals between visits. What is needed will depend on the child, family, and course of treatment.

Note: Office visits can sometimes be difficult to schedule. Therefore, I can occasionally offer a replacement Phone Consultation when the need arises.

Every patient will have open access to Dr Aronson-Ramos and her resources. She is directly available to all of her patients and offers many ways to communicate - office visits, school visits, phone consults, and confidential email. Many of the problems patients and families face have a developmental component which changes over time making a long term relationship with a physician highly valuable. Just as families are accustomed to their Pediatrician who they have known through the years, a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician fulfills that role as a specialist.

Our office values working with other professionals as a team to provide a multidisciplinary approach. It is important for families to know we spend a considerable amount of time outside of office visits in coordinating and facilitating communication among involved professionals and caregivers. We feel this benefits our families and improves treatment outcomes.