Autism in Pediatric Practice

Polly J. Panitz, MD, is a developmental pediatrician whose career has centered on partnering with general pediatricians and families to support the development of young children. Her approach emphasizes teaching strategies for structuring the natural environment of children and fostering collaboration among caregivers, educators, and health care clinicians. Dr Panitz earned her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed her residency in general pediatrics at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. She completed a fellowship in behavioral and developmental pediatrics at Evanston Hospital. Her clinical career has included positions in general pediatrics at the University of Texas at San Antonio and in private practice in Northern Virginia. She later established herself as a specialist embedded within a large 5-site pediatric practice, where she provided both diagnostic assessments and longitudinal care for children with developmental concerns, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism. In addition to direct patient care, Dr Panitz has run parenting support groups and classes, coordinated care across medical and educational teams, and provided consultation on school-based educational planning. She has contributed to statewide pediatric education through Virginia's Mental Health Access Program for general pediatric clinicians where she taught about early childhood development and led case-based discussions. Dr Panitz is now retired from practice and is involved in a variety of community-based volunteer endeavors. She enjoys playing cello, biking, hiking, and spending as much time as possible with her family.

Introduction Chapter 1 Caring for the Child with Autism in the Medical Home Chapter 2 Demographics, Etiology, and Clinical Presentation Chapter 3 Joint Attention: What Is It and Why Is It Important? Chapter 4 The Pragmatics of the Pediatric Visit Chapter 5 Autism Screening in Primary Care Chapter 6 Establishing the Autism Diagnosis Chapter 7 The Medical Evaluation of the Child With Presumptive or Confirmed Autism Chapter 8 Evidence-Based Interventions Chapter 9 Autism and Challenging Behaviors: Why They Occur and How to Approach Them Chapter 10 Diagnosing and Managing Co-occurring Conditions Chapter 11 Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Feeding Challenges Chapter 12 Insomnia: Identification and Interventions Chapter 13 Review of Pharmacotherapy and Complementary Interventions Chapter 14 Working With Special Education Services: A Primer Chapter 15 Long-Term Transition Planning: It Takes a Village Appendix A Autism Spectrum Disorder Monitoring Tool for the Pediatric Primary Care Clinician Appendix B Parent Handout: What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder and How Do I Know if My Preschool-Aged Child Has It? Appendix C Sample Intake Questionnaire Appendix D Diagnostic Criteria for Electronic Medical Record Documentation Appendix E Diagnostic Criteria Checklist With Developmental Anchors Appendix F Parent Resources on Autism Spectrum Disorder Appendix G Sample Letter to Request Evaluation for Special Education Services