Rush University Medical Center, Developmental Disorders

As the goal of treatment includes helping the child to maximize his/her abilities while preventing as many new problems from occurring as possible, it becomes particularly important to diagnose any suspected developmental delay or disorder as soon as possible. Early and accurate diagnosis not only helps to identify a possible inherited component to the disorder - so that parents and other family members can become informed of potential risks - but also to better predict the outcome for the child. Assigning a more accurate diagnosis often helps to better anticipate and prevent, in some cases, problems that may arise.