Behavior and Child Development

Helping our Toddlers, Developing our Children’s Skills (HOT DOCS) and DOCS K-5 are six-week courses available at USF Health that tap into the expertise of USF Health child and adolescent psychologists.

The center’s primary goals include:

Diagnostic assessment: Identification of diagnosis, therapeutic recommendations, and interventions and recommendations for home and school.
Treatment of medical needs: including medication management by developmental behavioral pediatrician.
Therapeutic parent management interventions including Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and the HOT DOCS program

Conditions we Treat

Anxiety & depression
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Developmental delays
Disruptive behavior disorders

Intellectual disabilities
Learning disorders
Oppositional defiant disorder
School adjustment or behavioral problems
Trauma

Appointments

To book an appointment with one of our providers call (813) 821-8032. Please visit the Child Development Patient Forms page prior to your visit.

Our caring and dedicated staff at USF Health will work closely with your family to determine which services would best meet your child’s individual needs. Your child’s health care team will provide guidance on proven intervention methods and coping skills that enable improvements in development and behavior.

Resources

Visit our Useful Resources page for a detailed list of resources for patients, families, and health professionals.

Meet Our Experts

We take a Multidisciplinary Approach. Our provider team includes a neurologist, developmental behavioral pediatrician and psychologists.

Learn more about our Behavior and Child Development experts by clicking each provider below:

Heather Agazzi, PhD, ABPP

Bilingual (English & Spanish) - Patient ages birth - 18 years
Jillian Childres, PhD

Patient ages birth - 12 years
Tanuja Kothinti, MD

Bilingual (English & Telugu) - Patient ages birth - 10 years
Shadae Najmabadi, PsyD

Patient ages 6 - 21 years