Neurodevelopmental Program

Refer a Patient

U.S. News and World Report Best Children's Hospitals badgeIf you are unsure about whether to refer your patient, or which Seattle Children’s clinic to refer to, please call our Clinical Intake Nurses at 206-987-2080, option 4.

Appointment availability

We are accepting new referrals. A referral is required.

All new visits must be in person but return visits may be through telehealth.

Referral requirements

Please submit a referral that is complete. This helps us schedule your patient’s appointment in a timely manner and ensure their first visit is smooth and productive.    

Please include:

  • Reason for referral: what is the clinical question for the specialist?
  • If the referral is urgent (see within 4 weeks) or routine (next available)
  • ICD-10 Diagnosis – required
  • Visit type:
    • New patient consult, transfer of care, second opinion, or return visit/ongoing care
  • ALL relevant clinical documents
    • Clinic notes
    • Medication history
    • Growth charts/curves 
    • Lab reports
    • Imaging and diagnostic reports
    • Previous specialty evaluations
  • Patient’s full name (legal name and chosen name, if different), DOB, sex, address, guardian contact information and insurance
  • Referring provider’s name, phone, fax and the referral coordinator’s email address so that we may contact you if additional information is needed
  • Preferred clinic location, if applicable
  • If an interpreter is needed
  • Any known barriers to performing a successful telehealth (video) visit with the family
  • Therapy reports (OT, PT, Speech) and early intervention notes
  • Questionnaires (M-CHAT, Ages and Stages, Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale, and other applicable rating scales and/or questionnaires)
  • School records or notes, IEP or testing results, developmental assessments
  • Brain imaging reports

Please note:

Submit a referral

New Appointment Request Form (PDF) (DOC)

Step-by-step guide to submitting a referral

New Patient Referral FAQ

Pease call our Clinical Intake Nurses if you need assistance: 206-987-2080, option 4.

Provider-to-Provider Communication

  • For urgent clinical questions, defined as a clinical question that requires immediate attention due to its potential impact on patient health or safety but is not life-threatening, call our Provider-to-Provider line at 206-987-7777 or 877-985-4637 (toll-free) to speak to our on-call Neurodevelopmental Medicine provider.
  • If you are directing or transporting a patient to the Emergency Department or Urgent Care, please call Mission Control at 206-987-8899 or 866-987-8899 (toll-free).
  • For non-urgent clinical questions, please consider submitting an eConsult. (Providers outside the state of Washington do not have access to eConsults and may call the Provider-to-Provider line and indicate they have a non-urgent clinical question for our on-call Neurodevelopmental Medicine provider.)
  • For co-management questions related to an existing problem for a shared patient, please send an InBasket message via EpicCare Link.
  • If you would like to have one of our Neurodevelopmental Medicine team members provide in-person or virtual education with your clinic, please contact our Physician Relations team to coordinate.  

What Your Patients Can Expect

  • Once we receive your referral, your patient may call to make an appointment.
  • Your patient’s first appointment is likely to last 60 to 90 minutes; we welcome parents to bring snacks and distraction devices, if needed.
  • At their first visit, your patient may be seen by either a physician or an advanced practice provider.
  • The first visit will often include a visit with a clinic social worker, who will have the important role of identifying resources that may be beneficial for the family. Some families are reluctant to meet with a social worker, due to stigma or other reasons, but our social workers are a vital part of our care team.
  • The family may leave their first visit without a diagnosis. Additional visits are often required to prepare a diagnosis and treatment plan.
  • Families often feel overwhelmed before they visit us. First appointments are most productive when families consider beforehand what is important to them, and bring a list of questions and concerns to discuss about their child’s development.
  • Wait times are currently up to 6 months for new appointments, and vary by clinic location. Families may be seen sooner if they are willing and able to travel to a clinic that is farther away.
  • Families may call 206-987-2210 to ask to be added to a cancellation list.
  • We review openings and the patient referral queue daily.

Resources for Providers  

To suggest additional resources from Seattle Children’s that would be useful to primary care providers, please email us.