Cincinnati Center for Development Disorders

The Cincinnati Center for Developmental Disorders at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center seeks to empower and maximize the skills of individuals with developmental disabilities and other chronic handicapping conditions. It serves approximately 9,000 individuals each year, and is committed to providing comprehensive, interdisciplinary services for each child and adult. Pediatricians trained in developmental disorders, speech and hearing specialists, psychologists, special educators, occupational therapists, and other professionals work together with an affected individual’s family to create customized plans to meet an affected individual’s special needs. Services include complete programs of evaluation, treatment, and support for specific problems such as autism, behavioral problems, cerebral palsy, craniofacial abnormalities such as cleft lip and palate, Down syndrome, myelomeningocele, neurofibromatosis, Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, and Williams syndrome. The Center also provides classroom therapy to help parents and community classroom teachers learn how to manage a child’s behavior and communication problems as well as family support services that offer a wide range of resources ranging from special toy libraries and parent discussion groups to information and referral services. Adult services are also provided to help ease the transition to adult life in such areas as health care, housing, work, and other issues.