Pediatrics - Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics |

This program sees children from birth to 18 years with a variety of developmental issues including developmental language delay, school challenges including ADHD, learning disabilities and school failure, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorders, behavioral problems, and more. Our typical model of care is a 3 part consultation: Visit 1 is a parent/guardian only meeting to discuss the concerning history of the child/adolescent and to gather information from previous providers working with the family. For example: early intervention records, teacher information, prior testing, etc.

Visit 2 is an assessment/evaluation with the child. This typically occurs after we have collected any prior testing information or evaluation forms.
Visit 3 is an appointment with the family to discuss diagnosis and recommendations.

For appointments or more information, please call 617.414.4841.

DBP Referral Policy - 2/1/2023
DBP Referral Template - CLINICIAN USE ONLY

Self-Care Videos for Parents, Patients and Providers

13 minute video: This video was designed to offer breathing and yoga exercises for pre-K to middle school children struggling with remote learning.

Restorative yoga is a style of yoga designed to promote relaxation. The goal is to allow the body to be still and over time if the body is still the mind can learn to be still as well. The poses are deigned to allow the body to relax on a pillow, blanket, or bolster. The poses are designed to calm and reset the body and mind to help overcome stress.

What do I need for class:

3 bed pillows
3 blankets
1 folding chair (for some classes)
Eye pillow or face cloth to cover eyes
Place to yourself
Bring a friend or family member

Jodi Santosuosso, NP-C, H.S.M.I
Family Nurse Practitioner
Certified Yoga instructor
Holistic Stress Management Instructor
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
617-414-7456
Clinical Instructor
Boston University

Steven J. Parker Memorial Developmental-Behavioral Conference: Clinical Problems in Primary Care - March 11, 2022-March 12, 2022

Our Program is Back In-Person (And Virtual Too!)

This annual two day accredited conference has been going strong for over three decades. It is designed for practicing clinicians who have an interest, passion or emerging expertise in developmental and behavioral pediatrics and want to take their knowledge and skill to the next level.

Many clinicians and allied medical professionals do not feel adequately trained when in practice and yet they face these challenges with patients and families every day. The course offers practical approaches to these issues and we welcome participants from a broad array of disciplines including physicians, advance practice providers, nurses, social workers, and allied medical professionals who work in Pediatrics and the broader medical community.

Contact Us

850 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118
6th Floor
Yawkey Center 617.414.4841

Monday, Wednesday Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00PM Tuesday, Thursday 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Specialty Clinics

Autism Program

The Autism Program assists and empowers individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and related disabilities through direct patient care and support, provider education, and community-based outreach. This unique Program fills a critical gap in existing community and hospital-based resources for families of children with autism because few programs are available in Boston for families with limited English proficiency.

Baby Steps

Baby Steps in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center provides developmental evaluations and nutritional assessments of former premature infants or term infants with complicated newborn courses.

Center for Family Navigation and Community Health Promotion

Our Center serves as a platform within our Pediatrics department to encourage family-centered interventions delivered by “family navigators,” a type of community health worker (CHW). Our goal is to establish a link between research and clinical practice to improve child and family outcomes in physical and mental health.

Child Witness to Violence Project

The Child Witness to Violence Project (CWVP) provides free, specialized counseling, advocacy, and outreach services to support young children and their caregivers. CWVP works with children, ages birth to 8 years old, who have been exposed to domestic violence, community violence, or other potentially traumatic events. From within Boston Medical Center's Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, CWVP has provided therapy to thousands of children and their families since its inception in 1992.

Children's HealthWatch

Children's HealthWatch, formerly known as the Children's Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program, monitors the impact of economic conditions and public policies on the health and well-being of very young children. Since its founding in 1998 at BMC by Dr. Deborah Frank, it has produced original, timely research and analysis linking nutrition, housing, energy and other policy issues to children’s health and development.

Good Grief Program

The Good Grief Program at Boston Medical Center provides therapeutic support to children who have experienced an important loss such as the death of a significant person, divorce, or separation from a primary caregiver.

Grow Clinic

The Grow Clinic for Children is an outpatient subspecialty clinic at Boston Medical Center that started in 1984 to provide comprehensive specialty medical, nutritional, developmental and social services and dietary assistance to children from the Greater Boston area referred with Failure To Thrive (FTT) by their primary care physician. In addition to providing clinical services, we advocate for policies that decrease the number of children in need. The Grow Clinic is part of BMC’s Department of Pediatrics.

Pediatrics - Comprehensive Care Program (CCP)

The Comprehensive Care Program (CCP) at Boston Medical Center is a primary care pediatric program supporting families of children with chronic medical conditions or developmental disabilities, including “NICU graduates” – babies born prematurely (preemies) or with complex issues.

Pediatrics - Special Kids Special Help

This web site was created to serve as a resource for families of children with neurological or developmental disorders, including epilepsy, autism, and developmental delay. Authored by the experts in the Divisions of Child Neurology and Developmental Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center (BMC)—professionals with special expertise in caring for children with neurodevelopmental problems—this site is meant to guide parents through their child’s development, diagnosis, and treatment.

Programs and Services

SPARK Center

The SPARK Center at Boston Medical Center is site for specialty pediatric and maternal health programs. Nestled in Mattapan, the SPARK Center offers supportive services in a tranquil, welcoming environment.

Our Team

Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Team

Core DBP Faculty

Marilyn C Augustyn, MD

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician

Special Interests

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, intellectual disability, learning disability, urban education

Audrey K Christiansen, MD

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician

Special Interests

Autism, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, developmental delay

Arathi Reddy, DO

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician

Special Interests

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, Intellectual Disabilities, Learning Disabilities

Naomi J Steiner, MD

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician

Mei A Elansary, MD

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician

Jocelyn L Kuhn, PhD

Adolescent Psychologist

Alyssa O King, PhD

Psychologist

Deborah A Frank, MD

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician

Special Interests

growth faltering (failure to thrive)

Christina M Lazdowsky, NP

Rachel S Amgott, NP

Current Fellows

Sarah Canale, MD

Britany Weissman, MD

Elective Faculty

Susan A Minear, MD

Pediatrician

Laurie M Douglass, MD

Pediatric Neurologist

Special Interests

Pediatric epilepsy, dietary therapy for epilepsy, seizures in babies born prematurely

Jodi D Hoffman, MD

Clinical Geneticist

Special Interests

Pediatric genetic syndromes, Jewish genetic diseases, adult genetic conditions, malformation syndromes, cancer syndromes

Dana S Rubin, MD

Psychiatrist

Special Interests

Neurodevelopmental disorders; Psychopharmacology; Assessment and treatment of special populations (children and adolescents with physical illnesses and developmental delays); Mental health education and consultation to pediatric specialty care

Margot Tang, MD

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician

Soukaina Adolphe, MD

Pediatrician

Special Interests

Failure to thrive

Grow Clinic

Soukaina Adolphe, MD

Pediatrician

Special Interests

Failure to thrive

Deborah A Frank, MD

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician

Special Interests

growth faltering (failure to thrive)

Megan T Sandel, MD

Pediatrician

Margot Tang, MD

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician

Child Protection

Genevieve L Preer, MD

Pediatrician

Autism Program

Shari Krauss

Lauren Bartolotti

Alex Friedman

Liz Ferriero

Sara Bastin

Hillary Hollis

Jacqueline McKendry

Maddy Goskoski

Belinda O'Hagan

Comprehensive Care Program

John S Maypole, MD

Director of Pediatric Comprehensive Care

Special Interests

Complex care, program innovation, cartooning

Jodi K Wenger, MD

Pediatrician

Special Interests

Children and young adults with special health care needs and medical complexity

Child Witness to Violence

Neena N McConnico, LMHC

Maureen A Patterson-Fede, LICSW

Mental Health Clinician

Special Interests

Grief, loss, trauma exposure

Courtney Ann Bailey, LICSW

Social Worker

Katherine Thomas, LMHC

Greysha Berrios, MA

Child/Adolescent Behavioral Health Clinician

Carmen Rosa Norona, LICSW, Ms. Ed., CEIS Clinical Coordinator of CWVP & Associate Director of ETTN

Stacy Normand, LICSW Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinician Lead

Sarah Hacking, LMHC Clinician

Amalia Perla, LMHC Mental Health and Intake Clinician

Natalie Heywood, MA Clinician

Rory White, LCSW Marigold Clinical Fellow

Good Grief

Maureen A Patterson-Fede, LICSW

Mental Health Clinician

Special Interests

Grief, loss, trauma exposure

Additional Information

The Massachusetts Center for Unexpected Infant and Child Death

All Boston (and you!) Can Do For Your Child (ABCD) - English

All Boston (and you!) Can Do For Your Child (ABCD) - Spanish

All Boston (and you!) Can Do For Your Child (ABCD) - Haitian Creole

All Boston (and you!) Can Do For Your Child (ABCD) - Portuguese

Department News

Boston Medical Center Receives $10,000 Signature Grant From Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation For Autism

Boston, MA – Boston Medical Center is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism.

Jan 26

EASE Clinic Improves Access to Special Education Support for Families

BOSTON – New research describes the Engagement and Access to Special Education (EASE) clinic at Boston Medical Center as a model to improve support for parents whose children require special…

Mar 14

Research Overview

Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 2021 Research Highlights
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 2022 Research Highlights

Residency and Fellowship Information

This program offers clinical and academic training in the field of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics in the context of an urban setting. The goals of this Maternal and Child Health Bureau-supported and ACGME certified program include the following:

Clinical training in such areas as developmental assessment of children (at all ages), behavioral management and family assessment;
Academic skills (such as research design, giving talks and writing papers) are taught through seminars (including at the Boston University School of Public Health) and hands-on experience;
Research training including study design and methodology, writing an abstract and paper and submitting a grant.

Special emphasis is placed on the developmental and behavioral issues facing families living in the inner city. For interested applicants, the fellowship also offers a special focus on child advocacy, the effects of witnessing violence on children and/or autism and disparities of diagnosis and treatment. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

Citizenship Requirement: US citizen required
Number of Fellows accepted each year: 1-3
Training: MD, must have passed all three parts of the licensing exam prior to 1/1 of the starting year of fellowship
Duration of fellowship: 3 years

Learn more about the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics training program.

Why BMC is so special

Current Fellows:
Sarah Canale: 07/01/21-06/30/2024
Britany Weissman: 07/01/21-06/30/2024

Current Mini Fellows:
Aline Hutner, MD
Mary Elizabeth Miotto, MD

Former Fellows
Former Mini Fellows

Slides Fellowship and Residency at Boston Medical Center (.ppt)

Diverse Patients Need Diverse Providers (.pdf)

Choosing a Residency at Boston Medical Center (.pdf)

For general information about program or application materials, please contact:

Kristin Cordes
Fellowship Coordinator
617.414.3665
Kristin.Cordes@bmc.org

For program information, please contact:

Audrey Christiansen, MD, Program Director
Boston Medical Center
Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
850 Harrison Ave, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02118
617.414.3602
audrey.christiansen@bmc.org

Affiliations

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

As the principal teaching affiliate of Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center is devoted to training future generations of healthcare professionals. Learn more about Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Pediatrics - Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Self-Care Videos for Parents, Patients and Providers

Steven J. Parker Memorial Developmental-Behavioral Conference: Clinical Problems in Primary Care - March 11, 2022-March 12, 2022

Contact Us

Specialty Clinics

Programs and Services

Our Team

Core DBP Faculty

Special Interests

Special Interests

Special Interests

Special Interests

Current Fellows

Elective Faculty

Special Interests

Special Interests

Special Interests

Special Interests

Grow Clinic

Special Interests

Special Interests

Child Protection

Autism Program

Comprehensive Care Program

Special Interests

Special Interests

Child Witness to Violence

Special Interests

Good Grief

Special Interests

Additional Information

Department News

Research Overview

Residency and Fellowship Information

Learn more about the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics training program.

Affiliations

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