Jennifer Ehrhardt, MD, MPH

As a developmental pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s since 2011, I take care of children with developmental delay or disabilities (DD), such as language delay, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.

I often see children in clinic for the first time when they are young. They may be delayed in talking or in how they interact and play with others. I work with a multidisciplinary team to evaluate a child’s development and help make diagnosis of DD when present. I truly enjoy seeing children in their early development — it's an amazing time in their lives. It can also be a scary and stressful time for parents if they are concerned that their child is not developing as expected.

If a DD is identified, part of my role as a developmental pediatrician is supporting parents in their journey caring for their child. In the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DDBP), we follow children from toddlers into adolescence. We discuss challenges as they arise and how to help — from therapies and educational services to medications when indicated for certain types of behaviors. We also celebrate their child’s successes, big and small, along the way.

When it comes to therapies and medications, I value shared decision-making with parents. We talk about the options and I make recommendations. My goal in these discussions is that parents understand the pros and cons of their options and choose the therapy or medication that feels best for their child at that time.

In addition, I love that I get to work with different types of clinicians, including psychologists and speech-language pathologists. We each bring a unique perspective to a child's care. We also have a wonderful team in our clinic that understands the unique needs of children with DD. This team includes medical assistants, nurses, child life specialists, social workers and our registration staff.

My research interests include the assessment and care of children with DD who are in foster care. The prevalence of DD is notable in this group of children, as are the challenges of connecting them to needed therapies and services. I am also involved in research and quality improvement efforts related to patient safety in the ambulatory setting.

In my free time, I enjoy doing yoga and baking.