Optimizing Your Child’s Education
Autism spectrum disorders | Developmental delays | Psychological disorders
Clinicians at the Center for Developing Minds (CDM) specialize in uncovering subtle variations in every child's cognitive abilities, which, if left untreated, can lead to chronic frustration and unnecessary struggles. The CDM offers a wide array of assessments and services to address the educational, behavioral and developmental needs of children and their families. Clinicians at the CDM craft their understanding of a child's neurodevelopmental func- tions based on focused behavioral observations of the child, developmental screenings and skilled interviews of both the child and his/her family. We create individual treat- ment plans that may encompass medical, behavioral and educational accommodations and therapies. Joining the CDM clinic team this month is Kushma Govindappa, M.D., a behavioral and developmental pedia- trician trained in diagnosing and treating children with neurodevelopmental problems such as autism spectrum disorders, fragile X syndrome, learning dysfunctions and attention deficits. She says, “The key to helping families is to listen and observe. Sometimes finding something as simple as the way a child holds a pencil, makes a repetitive movement, or speaks a phrase, can offer valuable insight into how the child thinks.“ Dr. Govindappa’s arrival brings another expert at the CDM to deliver the services we offer for children with autism. The CDM offers a range of autism-related assis- tance, including diagnosis, treatment, medication manage- ment and social skill training groups. Dr. Govindappa recently completed her behavioral and developmental fel- lowship training at the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, where her research focus was in autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Govindappa completed her pedi- atric internship and residency at Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York Medical College, New York, and received her medical degree in 2001 from Rajiv Gandhi University, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, India. Dr. Govindappa is fluent in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. More information about the Center for Developing Minds is available at www.devminds.com or follow us on Facebook. Dr. Govindappa is accepting new patients, and appointments can be scheduled by calling 408-358-1853.
Kushma Govindappa, M.D., Center for Developing Minds
Giving your child the best education requires an understanding of how he or she learns. It means creating a developmental and educational plan to optimize your child’s attention, memory, visual perceptual, language, social, neuromotor, and other cognitive abilities. When a child struggles at school or with making friends there usu- ally is a neurodevelopmental breakdown that may be detectable to the trained observer. The underlying issue is not always obvious. For instance, a tiny pebble in one’s shoe could make someone walk awkwardly and ultimately lead to hip pain. The presentation would be hip pain, but the problem could be the small stone. Similarly, a break- down in one of the core neurodevelopmental brain func- tions might show up as a problem learning to read or per- forming a math calculations. How a child reads, runs and relates to others hinges on a delicate balance of functions of the brain, such as memory, attention and language. When properly identified, weaknesses in these areas can be strengthened or accommodations can be made that allow the child to achieve to his or her potential. The Center for Developing Minds, created by Damon Korb, M.D., is an inter-disciplinary clinic in the Silicon Valley devoted to developmental and behavioral pediatrics. The Center for Developing Minds provides care for children and young adults who struggle at home and school due to:
Behavior issues | Learning difficulties | Attention problems | Social skill deficits
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Summer Camp Special 2016
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