Who this clinic is for

Our full-day multidisciplinary clinic is designed for teens with multisystemic symptoms of autonomic dysfunction that significantly impact their ability to attend school and participate in regular daily activities. This clinic provides a coordinated, intensive evaluation in one day to help families better understand their child’s symptoms and guide the next steps.

Preparing for your child’s full-day multidisciplinary clinic visit 

Before your child’s full‑day visit, we ask families to complete several steps to help our team prepare for the evaluation. 

1. All AADP patients are required to have an active MyCHOP account. MyCHOP is the primary way families communicate with the AADP team, receive appointment details, and complete questionnaires for both new and follow‑up visits.  
2. If not already provided, please send a parent or caregiver summary describing, in your own words, what you believe has contributed to your child’s symptoms. This brief summary should include the key concerns and day‑to‑day experiences you feel are important. 
3. Please send any relevant medical records from outside institutions* that are not already uploaded or viewable in your child’s CHOP medical record, including: 
   1. All specialty evaluations 
   2. Primary care visits related to your child’s symptoms 
   3. Emergency room and urgent care reports 
   4. Medical test results 
   5. Laboratory reports 
   6. Growth chart 
   7. Electrocardiogram (EKG) reports and strips 
   8. Radiology images and reports related to your child’s symptoms (X‑rays, echocardiograms, MRIs, CT scans) 

*If your child has been seen at facilities that participate in Care Everywhere, you can give permission through their patient portals to share those records directly with CHOP.  

For all other records, please complete our AADP HIPAA form for each specialty or healthcare facility where your child has been treated, and send the completed forms to AADPrecords@chop.edu. You may also provide these forms to outside institutions so they can release records to CHOP.

4. You will receive a New AADP Patient Questionnaire to complete in MyCHOP. This questionnaire must be completed one week prior to your child's appointment.  You can find it by selecting the Menu in MyCHOP and navigating to the Questionnaires tab. 
5. Please bring a list of all current medications your child takes. This should include prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, and any vitamins and supplements. For each item, please list the name, dosage and frequency. Many families find it easiest to bring all medications in a labeled bag.

What to expect at your visit

A full-day, coordinated evaluation

Our full-day clinic lasts about eight hours and takes place in-person at the Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care. Families should plan to spend most of the day at CHOP. 

During the visit, your child will meet with several specialists who work together to assess symptoms, review history and understand how autonomic dysfunction affects daily functioning. Each specialist will be scheduled at a specific time during the day.  

All visits take place within our multidisciplinary clinic space, allowing you and your child to stay in the same location throughout the day. 

Although not a scheduled appointment on your child’s itinerary, our education coordinator plans to meet with your child during your visit with our behavioral health specialist. 

Testing completed during your multidisciplinary clinic visit

As part of the evaluation, your child will complete: 

1. All patients will complete the 10-Minute Active Stand Test during their visit. This test measures heart rate and blood pressure at set intervals while lying down and then standing for 10 minutes. 
2. An electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) may be completed as part of the diagnostic evaluation, depending on your child’s individual needs. This is a quick, painless test that uses stickers placed on the chest to record the heart’s electrical activity and rhythm. 
3. Your child will also be guided through a series of physical assessments that measure strength, endurance and how their body responds to physical activity. 

Additional assessments or screening tools may be used depending on your child’s symptoms and history. 

After your child’s visit is scheduled, the AADP team will provide additional information to help you prepare for the full-day visit.  

What to expect after your child’s full-day clinic visit

At the end of the clinic day, our multidisciplinary team meets to review your child’s evaluation and discuss the next steps. Families will receive a summary of recommendations and follow-up guidance through MyCHOP after the visit. 

If follow-up care within AADP is recommended, our team will provide information on how to schedule those appointments. Recommendations for care outside of AADP will also be included, along with instructions for connecting with the appropriate providers.