Interdisciplinary Professional Training in Developmental Disabilities: An Update (WA LEND)
July 20, 2015
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| Dr. Ellen Davis and Christina Carrano, Au.D. candidate and LEND fellow, at the 2015 UW LEND Leadership Presentations. |
When a family first receives news confirming that their child has a developmental disability, they enter a world where the challenges can seem insurmountable. While raising any child is hard, raising a child with a developmental disability brings a host of new challenges and complications. A diagnosis such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), for example, affects every aspect of a family's life-from education, childcare, and transportation, to areas that may not be immediately apparent, such as nutrition and parental self-care. "Developmental disabilities, because of their complex nature, require an interdisciplinary approach," said Ellen Davis, MD, MPH, clinical professor of pediatrics, and director of the UW LEND program at the Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD). "This is why professional training programs that take an interdisciplinary approach to diagnosis of developmental disabilities, such as that offered by LEND, are so valuable."
LEND stands for Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities, and it is part of a network of programs supported by the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The UW LEND has been funded for over 45 years and is the centerpiece for clinical hands-on interdisciplinary training at the CHDD. It is part of CHDD's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. The program is focused on preparing trainees, known as fellows, from numerous disciplines for leadership roles in health care and related services for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, including ASD. A unique feature of this program is a diagnostic center which provides fellows with the opportunity to observe and practice in a true interdisciplinary family-centered clinic and gain hands-on experience.
