Explore UAB

Developmental Pediatric Faculty Group Photo 2018

Mission

The UAB Division of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) seeks to provide assessment, intervention, consultation, primary care, and dental services to neurodiverse individuals and their families in an interdisciplinary setting. Additionally, we hope to train current and future providers in evidence-based care and advocacy and to contribute to the body of research supporting these approaches to care.

We will accomplish our mission through:

  • Providing a unified, accessible center with the highest levels of expertise in behavioral and developmental conditions. Working closely with the child’s medical home and build collaborative partnerships with caregivers across medical, psychological, educational, and therapeutic disciplines to ensure a holistic approach to patient- and family-centered care.

  • Collaborating with community organizations and local, state, and national government to advocate for children with developmental and behavioral conditions.

  • Providing outstanding training and education on assessment and treatment of developmental and behavioral conditions to learners across disciplines.

  • Conducting research to advance the knowledge of the biomedical and epidemiologic bases of developmental and behavioral conditions, further the evidence base for treatments and therapies, and expand our capabilities to measure meaningful outcomes for our patients and families.

  • Perform quality improvement work in continually striving to provide efficient, effective, cost-effective, and coordinated delivery of care.


Research

Research projects by our faculty include:

  • Open-Label Study of the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Efficacy of NNZ-2591 in Pit-Hopkins

  • Development of Outcome Measure: Clinical Global Impression Scale for Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome

  • Factors Influencing Neuro-developmental Follow-up of Infants with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome


Education

Our faculty are actively engaged in training future care providers across disciplines. 
Some of our teaching roles include:

  • Directing and coordinating the required Behavior and Development clinical rotation for the UAB pediatric residents, which provides subspecialty exposure to children with developmental conditions as well as community experiences to learn about care of children beyond the walls of the clinics and hospital

  • Mentorship of residents and medical students on clinical and research projects who have interest in developmental and behavioral problems

  • Giving presentations at local, regional, and national conferences

  • Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO: Autism) 

  • LEND program

Connecting with the community

We are strongly committed to advocating for the children and families we serve.  Our pediatricians collaborate and serve with many organizations, including:


Faculty & Staff

Division Director

Laura McGuinn, M.D.

Faculty List

Developmental & Behavioral Faculty

Clinical Psychologists & Staff

  • Clinical Psychologists

    Kristy Domnanovich, Ph.D.

    Staff Psychologist

    Education
    UAB Psychology Training Consortium, Child Specialty Track

    Certifications
    Alabama Licensure

    Sarah O'Kelley, Ph.D.

    Assistant Professor of Psychology
    Director, Interdisciplinary Training at UAB Civitan-Sparks Clinics
    Clinical Child Psychologist

    Education
    PhD, Clinical Child Psychology, University of Alabama

  • Administrative Staff

    Wanda Weems
    Patient Service Coordinator II


    Christy Brown
    Patient Service Coordinator II


    Jeremy Varden, MSN, RN


    Velesha Heard
    Clinical Administrative Supervisor
    vheard@uabmc.edu

Contact

Division of Developmental Pediatrics
1600 7th Avenue South
5602 Dearth Tower
Birmingham, AL 35233
P: 205.638.5390
F: 205.638.5089