Every child develops at their own pace, but sometimes concern arise. If you have concerns about your child’s development, behavior, or learning, specialists in UNC Children’s Section of Development, Behavior and Learning are here to help.
The Section of Development, Behavior and Learning envisions a world where all children can thrive. Our goal is to partner with families to better understand their child’s developmental differences and support them in meeting their goals.
Our team includes pediatric psychology, developmental behavioral pediatrics, social work, and nursing. Our services include developmental assessment, psychological testing, medication management and brief behavioral supports.
Conditions commonly seen by our team include:
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Developmental delay or intellectual disability
- Learning disorders, including dyslexia, writing difficulties, math disorders, and other school-related learning problems
- Behavior problems in children with developmental disabilities
If you have been referred to or are considering a referral to our Section, please also consider contacting community-based services that can support your child and family:
For children ages 0-3
The NC Infant-Toddler Program, also called the Children’s Developmental Services Agency (CDSA). Information about services in your area can be found at NCEI - Home.
Age 3-21
Contact your local school district’s Exceptional Children director. More information can be found at Exceptional Children | NC DPI.
Appointment Forms
Once scheduled, you will receive information about your child’s appointment. Links are provided below:
UNC Children's Behavioral and Mental Health Information Letter (English)
UNC Children's Behavioral and Mental Health Information Letter (Spanish)
Parent Questionnaire (pdf - English)
Cuestionario para cuidadores (pdf - español)
Please complete and return the Parent Questionnaire as soon as possible - remember to save a copy for yourself. Please also provide copies of previous evaluations or school testing, like IEPs.
What To Expect
During your child’s appointment, you will meet with a member of our specialty team to review your goals and concerns. Together we will decide upon an individually designed evaluation based on your child’s age and developmental level. After the evaluation, we’ll provide recommendations based on your child’s individual needs, strengths, and goals.
You will receive a written summary that can be shared with school and community professionals who work with your child. The written information provides documentation typically requested by schools to help determine eligibility for services if applicable.
Initial appointments may take up to 2-3 hours and often require a second visit to complete.
For Referrals
Referrals will now be accepted either via Carelink or by fax to the Patient Access Center at (984) 974-5437.
Currently, our service is available only to providers within the UNC System. We encourage patients to consult with their insurance plan for developmental behavioral pediatricians accepting new patients or to the local management entity (LME) where they reside for behavioral health evaluation and treatment.
We hope to be able to begin accepting referrals from our community partners again in the spring of 2023. Please check this website for information about our practice, including referral forms, services provided, and the status of external referrals
