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Amanda E. Bennett, MD, MPH, is a board-certified developmental pediatrician and the Clinical Chair of the Autism Integrated Care Shared Governance Committee. She specializes in treating children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Fragile X syndrome. Her research focuses on finding ways to support families and community providers who care for children with ASD.
Dr. Bennett had an early interest in childhood development – she minored in special education prior to attending medical school. “I was always interested in working with children with developmental differences,” she says. “Developmental Pediatrics seemed like the perfect field to pair my interest in medicine and my love for children with developmental and/or behavioral disabilities.”
She is excited about the growth of developmental and behavioral pediatrics as a specialty, especially at CHOP and what it means for the future of the field. “We are training excellent physicians locally, but we are also exploring technology to disseminate information and resources about Autism Spectrum Disorder,” she said. That includes exploring telemedicine to provide diagnostic services to isolated or underserved communities.
She noted that CHOP’s Autism Integrated Care Program participates in ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Autism Collaborative, which provides free online case discussion opportunities for community providers around the globe to connect with autism specialists.
“I hope families leave our program feeling better informed about their child's developmental strengths and challenges and knowing that they have a team available to help them work toward best possible outcomes for their child,” said Dr. Bennett. “The path is not often clear or easy, but no family should feel alone in the process.”
Dr. Bennett attended medical school at Marshall University, in Huntington, West Virginia and completed her residency at A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. Following that she completed a fellowship in developmental and behavioral pediatrics and the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program, both at CHOP. Dr. Bennett also earned a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
In addition to extensively writing about her areas of specialization, Dr. Bennett has frequently spoken to both medical professional groups and family/community events. “I am so inspired by the communities that have developed around both of these diagnoses. I love seeing my patients and their families at community events and conferences, and I have several colleagues who began their careers after experiencing one of these diagnoses in their personal life.”
Dr. Bennett’s research interests mirror her clinical interests – supporting children with ASD and the families and communities that care for them. She has led several medication treatment trials for children with ASD or Fragile X syndrome, as well as studies that explore new ways to identify ASD or co-occurring symptoms in children.
“I have two primary clinical and research emphases: Autism spectrum disorder and Fragile X syndrome,” says Bennett. “While there are similarities between the two diagnoses, they offer unique clinical and research opportunities, and families can have very different experiences.”
She noted that both conditions can have extreme variability in how children progress. “Each child with ASD and Fragile X is unique and presents an opportunity to learn a little bit more about these complex diagnoses,” she said.
MD - Marshall University, Huntington, WV
Pediatrics - A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics – American Board of PediatricsPediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics
MPH - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Developmental Pediatrician
Associate Division Chief
Clinical Chair, Autism Integrated Care Program
2014-present, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Research Committee
2011-present, Autism Treatment Network/Autism Intervention Research Network for Physical Health Steering Committee
2011-present, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Fellows Scholarship Oversight Committee
2009-present, Core Clinical Workgroup, Center for Autism Research
Neumeyer A, Anixt JS, Chan J, Perrin JM, Murray DS, Coury DL, Bennett A, Parker RA, & Farmer JG. Identifying Associations among Medical Comorbidities in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Acad Pediatr. July 2018. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.06.014.
Bennett AE, Miller JS, Stollon N, Prasad R, Blum NJ. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Transition-Aged Youth. Curr Psych Rep. Sep 2018. doi: 10.1007/s11920-018-0967-y
Broder-Fingert S, Qin S, Goupil J, Rosenberg J, Augustyn M, Blum N, Bennett A, Weitzman C, Guevara JP, Fenick A, Silverstein M, & Feinberg E. A mixed-methods process evaluation of Family Navigation implementation for autism spectrum disorder. Autism. November 2018. doi: 10.1177/1362361318808460.
Miller JS, Thomas RP, Bennett A, Bianconi S, Bruchey A, Davis RJ, Ficicioglu C, Guthrie W, Porter FD, Thurm A. Early Indicators of Creatine Transporter Deficiency. J Pediatr. 2018 Dec 20. pii: S0022-3476(18)31591-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.11.008.
Pathak M, Bennett A, Shui A. Correlates of adaptive behavior profiles in a large cohort of children with autism: The Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network registry data. Autism Nov 2017. doi: 10.1177/1362361317733113
Malow BA, Katz T, Reynolds AM, Shui A, Carno M, Connolly HV, Coury D, Bennett AE. Sleep difficulties and medications in children with autism spectrum disorders: a registry study. Pediatrics Feb 2016, 137 (Supplement 2) S98-S104. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2015-2851H
Vasa RA, Mazurek MO, Mahajan R, Bennett AE, Bernal MP, Nozzolillo AA, Arnold LE, Coury DL. Assessment and Treatment of Anxiety in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Pediatrics Feb 2016, 137 (Supplement 2) S115-S123; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2015-2851J
Kerns CM, Maddox BB, Kendall PC, Rump K, Berry L, Schultz RT, Souders MC, Bennett A, Herrington J, Miller J. Brief measures of anxiety in non-treatment-seeking youth with autism spectrum disorder. Autism, January 29, 2015. (PMID: 25633222).
Vasa RA1, Carroll LM, Nozzolillo AA, Mahajan R, Mazurek MO, Bennett AE, Wink LK, Bernal MP. A Systematic Review of Treatments for Anxiety in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. JADD, December 2014. (PMID: 25070468).
Bennett AE, Power TJ, Eiraldi RB, Leff SS, & Blum NJ. Identifying Learning Problems in Children Evaluated for ADHD: The Academic Performance Questionnaire. Pediatrics, published online: September 7, 2009 (doi:10.1542/peds.2009-0143).
Bennett AE & Stryjewski G. Severe Hypokalemia in a Pediatric Patient due to Oral and Rectal Administration of Bentonite. Pediatric Emergency Care. July 2006; 22(7): 500-502.
Miller J, Bennett A. (July 2019) Universal Autism and Developmental Screening in a Large Health Care Setting: How to Do it and How it Changes Outcomes. Autism Cares Grantee Meeting: Washington, D.C.
Wallis, K.E., Guthrie, W., Miller, J., Bennett, A., Gerdes, M., Fleming, K., Pandey, J., Levy, S.E., Mandell, D. (May 2018) Referral Rates after Failed Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Toddlers in a Large Primary Care Network. Pediatric Academic Society 2018 Meeting: Toronto, Canada.
Wallis, K.E., Guthrie, W., Miller, J., Bennett, A., Gerdes, M., Fleming, K., Pandey, J., Levy, S.E., Mandell, D. (March 2018) Referral Rates after Failed Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Toddlers in a Large Primary Care Network. Academic Pediatric Association Regional Meeting: Philadelphia, PA.
Feinberg E, Bennett A, Weitzman C, Augustyn M, Broder-Fingert S, Chu A, Sandler J, Diaz-Linhart Y, Fernandez-Pastrana I, & Blum N. (May 2018) Leveraging Pediatric Primary Care Systems to Address Disparities in Autism Diagnosis and Engagement in Services: Implementation of a Family Navigation Intervention. INSAR Meeting: Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Neumeyer A, Anixt JS, Chan J, Perrin JM, Murray DS, Coury DL, Bennett A, Parker RA, & Farmer JG. (May 2018) Identifying Associations Among Medical Comorbidities in Autism Spectrum Disorder. INSAR Meeting: Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Feinberg E, Augustyn M, Bennett A, Weitzman C, Broder-Fingert S, Sandler J, Chu A, & Blum N. (May 2018) Leveraging Pediatric Primary Care Systems to Address Disparities in Autism Diagnosis and Engagement in Services: Implementation of a Family Navigation Intervention. Pediatric Academic Society 2018 Meeting: Toronto, Canada.
Augustyn M, Melita N, Bennett A, Fenick A, Broder-Fingert S, Blum N, Weitzman C, Feinberg E. (May 2018) Relationship between Immigration Status and Perceived Stress around a Child’s Developmental Concerns. Pediatric Academic Society 2018 Meeting: Toronto, Canada.
Angkustsiri K, Fussell J, Bennett A, Kaluzhny P, Rodriguez R, Tancredi D, Hansen R, Van de Water J, Blum N. (May 2018) Maternal Autoantibody Related Autism: A multi-site DBPNet study. Pediatric Academic Society 2018 Meeting: Toronto, Canada.
Broder-Fingert S, Chu A, Blum N, Augustyn M, Weitzman C, Bennett-Palladino A, Guevara J, Fenick A, Fernandez I, Feinberg E. (May 2018) A Process Evaluation of Family Navigator Implementation: a DBPNet study. Pediatric Academic Society 2018 Meeting: Toronto, Canada.
Anixt J, Neumeyer A, Chan J, Perrin J, Murray D, Coury D, Bennett Palladino A, Farmer J, Parker R. (May 2018) Identifying associations among co-occurring conditions in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Pediatric Academic Society 2018 Meeting: Toronto, Canada.
Margaret C. Souders, Whitney T. Eriksen, Amanda E. Bennett, Raghuram Prasad, & Stefanie Zavodny: Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sleep in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: An Evidence-Based Guide. Jennifer A. Accardo (eds.). Springer, 2019.
Bennett, AE & Blum, NJ. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Chapter 27) in McMahon, MC. & Stryjewski, G. (Eds.) Pediatrics A Competency Based Companion, Elsevier, Philadelphia, May 2011, pp 152-161.
Wallis, K.E., Guthrie, W., Miller, J., Bennett, A., Gerdes, M., Fleming, K., Pandey, J., Levy, S.E. (Accepted Poster Symposium, September 2018) Disparities in Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Toddlers in a Large Primary Care Network. SDBP Annual Meeting: Anaheim, CA.
Zavodny S, Kerns CM, Berry L, Eriksen WT, Bennett A, Malone SK, Pinto-Martin J, Hanlon A, Herrington JD, Souders MC. Arousal Dysregulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. IMFAR (poster); May 2017; San Francisco, CA.
Broder-Fingert S, Sandler JM, Bennett A, Augustyn M, Weitzman C, Keys S, Credle M, Abraham M, Feinberg E. Enrollment in Early Intervention Associated with Increased Parental Stress in a Large Cohort of Parents of Young Children at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. IMFAR (poster); May 2017; San Francisco, CA.
Miller J, Thomas RP, Bruchey A, Davis RJ, Bennett A, Thurm A. Creatine Transporter Deficiency: A Rare Neurodevelopmental Disorder with ASD Symptomatology. IMFAR (poster); May 2017; San Francisco, CA.
Schuster M, Simon E, Bennett A. Elwyn Genetics: Syndromic Information and the Interdisciplinary Biopsychosocial Team Approach. APA Convention (poster); August 2017; Washington, D.C.
Bennett AE. Child Development: Milestones, Red Flags, Interventions. Congenital Hyperinsulinism International & Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Family Conference. September 2019, Philadelphia, PA.
Bennett AE. Research Highlights: Screening for ASD in a Pediatric Primary Care Network. Autism Cares Grantee Meeting. July 2019, Washington, D.C.
Bennett AE. Crossroads of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and Developmental Disabilities Webinar. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Violence Prevention Initiative. March 2019, Philadelphia, PA.
Bennett AE. Social Skills for Kids with Special Needs. MetroKids. September 2018, Philadelphia, PA.
Bennett AE. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autism Speaks. WMMR Interview for Public Affairs. April 2008, Philadelphia, PA.
Bennett AE. ECHO Autism. Project ECHO: Leveraging Technology to Extend Knowledge to Providers. Mid-Atlantic TeleHealth Resource Center Summit 2018. April 2018, Hershey, PA.
Bennett AE. Autism Spectrum Disorder: Updates on Research. iHeart Radio Interview for Insights. April 2018, Philadelphia, PA.
Bennett AE. Fragile X Syndrome. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Fellows’ Seminar. November 2017, Philadelphia, PA.
Bennett AE. Autism Spectrum Disorder: Diagnosis and Primary Care Management. Cole Memorial Pediatric Symposium. October 2017, Coudersport, PA.
Bennett AE. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autism Treatment Network. University of Pennsylvania Nursing Students. October 2017, Philadelphia, PA.
Bennett AE. Child Development: Milestones, Red Flags, and Interventions. 8th Congenital Hyperinsulinism Family Conference. July 2017, Galloway, NJ.
1997, cum laude, Bridgewater College
2010-present, International Society for Autism Research
2005-present, Society for Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
2002-present, American Academy of Pediatrics
*2015-present, Fragile X Expert Panel