The majority of clinical activities at SCH occur within the Neurodevelopmental Clinic and the SCH Autism Center.
The Neurodevelopmental clinic serves as a center for the comprehensive medical evaluation, coordinated consultation, diagnosis and collaborative management of children – birth to 21 years – with complex neurodevelopmental disabilities and congenital anomalies. Areas of particular focus include cerebral palsy, Fragile X, spasticity management, spina bifida and tics / Tourette's and related comorbidities (ADHD, LD, OCD). In each case, an interdisciplinary care model that involves the interaction of multiple expert providers and provides coordinated follow-up is essential. Interdisciplinary evaluations may include evaluations by specialists in orthopedics, rehabilitation medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, urology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nutrition, and social work.
This clinical site also serves as a neurodevelopmental diagnostic program that provides an initial assessment of a child whose development is not keeping up with the expectations of family and primary care physician.
There are also clinical experiences at SCH to participate in the Craniofacial program and to consult regarding children (birth to 21) with neurodevelopmental disabilities and congenital defects who are hospitalized at SCH and to collaborate with the inpatient Medically Complex Child service.
Launched in August 2009, Seattle Children’s Autism Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive and timely autism services under one roof regardless of a family's ability to pay. It provides screening, assessment, diagnosis, treatment (including medication management) and parent education and support for autism spectrum disorders. It offers this range of medical and mental health services for babies, children and young adults. Therapy models used include cognitive behavioral therapy, functional analysis, functional behavioral assessment, pivotal response training, behavioral feeding therapy, parent-child interaction therapy and other attachment-based therapies. The center works closely with Seattle Children's Neurodevelopmental, Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Sleep Disorders, Genetics and Gastroenterology programs to insure complete and coordinated care.