Fletcher Allen, a Vermont university hospital and medical center, serves all of
Vermont and the northern New York region. Located in Burlington, Fletcher Allen is a regional, academic healthcare center and teaching hospital in alliance with the University of Vermont.
Behavioral & Developmental Services
At the Vermont Children's Hospital, we we offer an interdisciplinary approach to meet your child's specific needs. Working collaboratively with different providers — nurses, social workers, psychologists and other professionals — we treat a range of conditions, including:
Autism
Autism or autism spectrum disorder is a neurological disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others. It usually appears during the first three years of life. Signs of autism can include a lack or delay in spoken language, repetitive use of language or mannerisms, limited eye contact and little interest in others or social relationships. The severity of autism in children varies widely and its cause is not yet clear.
Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability refers to problems related to learning and mental function, and usually means a child learns more slowly than other children of the same age. Children with intellectual disabilities also usually have difficulty functioning in areas of daily life, such as communication, self-care and social situations. Intellectual disabilities may be associated with a genetic condition or caused by a head injury or illness. They can range from mild intellectual disability to severe. Many treatments and therapies are available to help children with these disabilities learn and develop.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy describes a group of disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitation. CP is caused by damage to the motor control centers of the developing brain and can occur during pregnancy, childbirth or after birth up to about age three.
The motor disorders of cerebral palsy are often accompanied by disturbances of sensation, perception, cognition, communication, behavior, by epilepsy, and by secondary musculoskeletal problems.
Complications of Prematurity
Premature babies – defined as babies born more than three weeks before the due date – are at an increased risk of medical and developmental problems. Premature birth complications can include yellowing of the skin, or jaundice, and low blood pressure as well as more severe problems such as trouble breathing, vision difficulties or bleeding in the brain. The risks of premature birth vary depending on how soon a baby is born – with the youngest infants at the greatest risk. Due to advances in the care of sick and premature babies, a wide range of treatments are available to treat complications of prematurity and help these infants live healthy lives.
Other Services
Children with disabilities who require other subspecialty care receive that care at the Vermont Children's Hospital at the Children's Specialty Center. These subspecialties include:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Genetics
- Pediatric Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Neonatal Medical Follow-up Program
These services include:
- Myelodysplasia Clinic
- Cerebral Palsy/Orthopedic Clinic
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Developmental Follow-up Program
