• The developmental pediatricians at Advocate Children’s Hospital are part of one of the largest and most comprehensive programs in the Chicago area. We offer medical, psychological and rehabilitation services at three convenient locations.
• Advocate Children’s Hospital – Park Ridge
• Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn
• Pediatric Development Center at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center – Chicago
• We offer children with developmental conditions access to several pediatric developmental clinics that focus on treating a wide range of developmental problems.
• Our pediatric developmental specialists are experienced in helping our youngest patients through the physical and emotional challenges of developmental conditions.

Your child may benefit from our programs if they:

• Exhibit delays with no medical explanation
• Have delayed motor skills or abnormal movements
• Display behavior problems, including tantrums, rigidity, non-compliance, bedtime refusal, feeding issues, or hyperactive or impulsive behaviors
• Experience delays in speech or articulation
• Exhibit abnormalities in language and socialization
• Have unusual facial features or extremities
• Have received treatment for developmental delay without improvement
• Have school-related challenges with attention, learning or behavior
• Have developmental issues as well as difficulties with emotional regulation – including mood concerns and anxiety

We want you to feel educated and empowered to understand your child’s needs and how to best support them. We work closely with you and your child to manage difficult behaviors and develop skills to maximize potential. We know you want the best for your child and want to prepare your child for school and community living.

• Cognitive impairments and disabilities
• Communication and speech disorders
• Developmental delays
• Developmental disabilities
• DiGeorge syndrome (chromosome 22Q deletion)
• Disruptive behavior disorders
• Down syndrome
• Emotional regulation issues
• Executive functioning difficulties
• Feeding or swallowing difficulties
• Fine motor coordination
• Head shape deformities
• Intellectual disabilities
• Learning disabilities
• Motor impairments
• Neuromuscular problems
• Orthopedic injury
• Physical disabilities
• Prematurity
• Sensory integration
• Spina bifida
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke
• Stuttering
• Torticollis
• Traumatic brain injury
• Voice and resonance disorders
• Williams syndrome

Our developmental clinics provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care that empowers children with the tools they need to thrive. Developmental pediatricians and other staff offer support for:

• Advocacy services for school
• Audiology services
• Inpatient rehabilitation
• Audiology services
• Autism Treatment Center
• Behavioral therapy
• Consultation to schools
• Cleft Palate Clinic and Craniofacial Clinic
• Down Syndrome Clinic
• Early Intervention
• ECHO Autism
• Healthy families program
• Head Shape Clinic
• Infant therapies and programs
• Inpatient rehabilitation
• Medical evaluation and management
• Multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluations
• Neonatal high-risk follow-up
• NICU speech, occupational, and physical therapies
• Occupational therapy
• Orthosis (braces or appliances to help with physical disabilities)
• Parent-child interaction therapy
• Parent training
• Physical therapy
• Psychological therapy
• Psychological, psychoeducational, neuropsychological evaluations
• Sibling support program
• School problems evaluations
• Spasticity management in younger children
• Speech-language pathology services

Treating pediatric developmental conditions requires a multidisciplinary team of experts with advanced training and extensive experience in helping children with these issues.

• Audiologists
• Behavior therapists
• Behavioral and developmental pediatricians
• Developmental therapists
• Neuropsychologists
• Nurses
• Nurse practitioners
• Occupational therapists
• Physical therapists
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Speech-language pathologists

Physicians

Lauren Lindle, MD
Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrician

Psychologists

Kathleen Ares, PsyD

Certified Medical Assistants

Sandra Danielspatton
Erica Gonzalez

Operations manager

Kathryn Deisinger O'Flaherty, MHA

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Physicians

Amy Francis, DO
Site Director of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Training Program
Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrician

James Weedon, MD
Division Director for Developmental Pediatrics
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician

Psychologists

Jennifer Palmer, PsyD
Jennifer Miller, PsyD

Advanced Nurse Practitioners

Lindsay Wargelin, MSN, CPNP-PC

Certified Medical Assistants

Stephanie Bradshaw
Maria Sanchez

Intake coordinators

Eileen Joyce, LCSW
Shannon Pintz
Jackie Salinas

Administrative support specialists

Joan Marlow
Stephanie Salinas

Operations manager

Holly Smith, LCSW

Billing specialist

Maranda Romero

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Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrician

Sarah C. Bauer MD, MS
Site Medical Director

Nurse

Caroline Roestel, MSN, RN, CNL

Psychologists

Lori N. Osborne, PhD
Program Manager
Behavioral Psychology Program Co-Coordinator
Graduate Training

Laura Mulford Jaramillo, PhD
Program Manager
Autism Treatment Program Co-Coordinator
Graduate Training

Jonna Gattuso, PsyD
Meagan Hauser, PsyD
Leah Marks, PhD, NCSP
Marissa Pollmann, PsyD

Behavior therapists

Rachel Gorjanc, MS, LCPC
Jennifer Ortiz, MA, BCBA
Veronica Castro Padilla, MA
Carlton Hemphill,MA
Marisol Villaseñor, MEd

Social workers

Maura Neafsey, LCSW
Clinical Supervisor

Sharon Solomon, LCSW

Developmental therapists

Joanne Carbonell-Rodriguez, BS
Early Childhood Coordinator

Isabel Diaz, MS
Olga Valle, MS, CEIM

Rehabilitation

Linda Wolfe-Stine, OTR/L, C/NDT, CIMI
Supervisor of Pediatric Rehabilitation

Occupational therapist

Taylor Gantz, MS, OTR/L, CEIM
Cheryl Hvala, MS, OTR/L
Kristin Lamb, MS, OTR/L

Physical therapists

Caroline Masciola, PT, DPT, CIMI
Erin Quane, PT, DPT
Emily Huffman, PT, MPT

Speech-language pathologists

Emily Bowman, MS, CCC-SLP
Mary Beth Goecke, MA, CCC-SLP
Erin Green, MS, CCC-SLP
Suri Jata, MS, CCC-SLP
Bridgid Regnier, MS, CCC-SLP

Healthy Families Program

Sara Barrera, MA, LSW
Coordinator

Family support workers

Karla Avila, BA, CLC
Lead Family Support Worker

Fanny Fernandez, BA
Angelica C. Torres, BA

Doula/family support workers

Deborah Lagunas, CD (DONA), CLC, LCCE
Cassandra Calderone, BA, CD (DONA), CLC

Operations manager

Sam Cebular, LCSW

Intake coordinators

Alicia Heinzmann, LCSW
Madeleine Benitez, BA
Elena Gonzalez, BA

Benefits and admissions specialists

Laura Velazquez
Erika Hurtado

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Medicaid and private insurance are accepted, and we try to serve every family in need, regardless of ability to pay. Our billing coordinator is always available to assist you.

• Project ECHO Autism
• Illinois Special Education – Illinois Department of Education
• Learn the Signs. Act Early.