Joseph Holahan, MD, director of The Binder Autism Center at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Paterson, provides individualized expert care to a patient affected by autism spectrum disorders.
More than 150,000 people from dozens of northern New Jersey communities receive care at St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center each year. The 229-bed acute-care community hospital provides everything from emergency care to surgical procedures, with a full range of inpatient and outpatient services in between.
A division of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center and a member of St. Joseph’s Health, the Hamburg Turnpike hospital’s cardiology/cardiothoracic services include a diagnostic cardiac catheterization laboratory performing peripheral angiograms and stenting, carotid stenting and pacemaker implants. Non-invasive cardiology services include Holter monitoring, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, echocardiography and trans-esophageal echocardiography.
Orthopedics, spinal care, and sports medicine also are major areas of focus at the hospital, while the John Victor Machuga Diabetes Education Center provides comprehensive education and consultation programs. The hospital also offers a recently expanded Ambulatory Care Center, as well as liver, biliary, and pancreatic consultation services. In addition, the hospital features comprehensive services including a State-designated Primary Stroke Center, world-class emergency care with a dedicated Geriatric Emergency Department, and advanced robotic-assisted surgery for less pain and faster recovery.
Now open on the Wayne campus is the St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Pavilion, a state-of-the-art facility that offers leading physicians in specialties including bariatric weight loss, liver care, hematology/oncology, rheumatology, gastroenterology, and breast and general surgery. Physical, occupational and speech rehabilitation offer advanced therapies in the new space, in addition to Cardiac Rehabilitation, a structured program of exercise and heart health education designed to help patients regain their active lifestyle after a cardiac event.
Additionally, the Binder Autism Center at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital offers comprehensive assessment and care, with professionals working together in order to address the needs of patients and their loved ones.
Meeting The Many Needs Of Families Affected By Autism Spectrum Disorders
The complexities of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the wide-ranging needs of affected children and their families are best addressed by the coordinated efforts of a team of health care professionals, said Joseph Holahan, MD.
A developmental pediatrician who serves as director of The Binder Autism Center at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Paterson, Dr. Holahan collaborates with colleagues from a number of medical specialties and other health care disciplines to provide individualized, comprehensive care to children with ASD.
The complexities of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the wide-ranging needs of affected children and their families are best addressed by the coordinated efforts of a team of health care professionals.
“When parents come to us with concerns about their child, the initial evaluation is performed by one of our three developmental pediatricians,” Dr. Holahan said. “If it is determined that the child has ASD, we can draw on a number of resources. Because it is a part of the Children’s Hospital’s Child Development Center, the Binder Autism Center and its patients have ready access to child and adolescent psychiatric services, pediatric speech and language therapy, pediatric occupational and physical therapy, cognitive and achievement testing, and many other services.”
In addition, social workers assist families in dealing with insurance-coverage issues, facilitate parental support groups, and otherwise help parents and children alike.
The Binder Autism Center attends to children’s socialization needs as well as their medical care, Dr. Holahan emphasizes, noting that the center offers a dance program, bowling league, yoga and a summer camp, all of which help children learn to interact with others while getting exercise and enjoying activities.
“The sooner we can diagnose ASD and begin providing care, the better the prognosis. Early intervention really is key,” said Dr. Holahan. He noted that ASD typically is identified when a child is between 18 months and 3 years of age, with parents often seeking an evaluation because a child is experiencing a speech delay. Difficulty with age-appropriate social interaction, non-verbal communication, and attention also can be indicators of ASD, or of other developmental issues, he adds.
“Thanks to the caring and generosity of the Binder family, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital is able to offer services that can make a real difference in the lives of children and families affected by ASD. If parents have concerns, I would urge them to talk with their pediatrician and to contact us, so that we can evaluate their child and, if warranted, intervene as early as possible,” Dr. Holahan says.
For more information on The Binder Autism Center and the Child Development Center at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, call (973) 754-3081 or visit www.stjosephshealth.org/.
To learn more about the clinical services provided at St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Pavilion, call (973) 942-6900 or visit http://www.stjosephshealth.org/sjwh.
