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Sandhyaa S. Iyengar, MD, MPH

Sandhyaa S. Iyengar, MD, MPH

Sandhyaa S. Iyengar, MD, MPH

Sandhyaa S. Iyengar, MD, MPH, is an attending physician with the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Areas of expertise: Autism spectrum disorder, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Developmental delays, Global developmental delay, Intellectual disability, Genetic syndromes, Supporting families with exposure to adverse childhood experience

Locations: Main Building


215-590-7500

About Sandhyaa S. Iyengar, MD, MPH

Sandhyaa S. Iyengar, MD, MPH, is a board-certified pediatrician and an attending physician with the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She specializes in treating children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental delays and intellectual disabilities.

Her interest in developmental and behavioral pediatrics stems from a desire to “understand the ‘big picture’ of a child,” she says. “We take into consideration all their strengths and challenges, so that we can help each child achieve their best potential. It is so rewarding!”

Dr. Iyengar says she hopes all families who come to CHOP understand that everyone is invested in making sure they have a positive experience. “We try our best to take every measure possible to make sure your child is comfortable and your story is heard, and we partner with you for the best care for your child,” she says.

Education and experience

Dr. Iyengar received her medical degree from St. George’s University, Grenada, and completed a residency in Pediatrics at Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York. She has also completed additional training at CHOP, including fellowships in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. She also holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Dr. Iyengar currently serves on the State Interagency Coordinating Council for the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning as well as the Health Services Advisory Committee for Early Head Start. In addition, she has authored over a dozen papers and presentations and received a number of awards for her work.  Dr. Iyengar is also actively involved with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Research

In addition to her state- and national-level advocacy efforts regarding early childhood development, Dr. Iyengar’s research revolves around four topics: quality improvement, helping primary care doctors screen for developmental conditions, promoting healthy lifestyles for children with ASD, and learning about the impact of adverse childhood experiences on development.

Those interests are born from her desire to help patients and their families get the support they need to help each child reach his or her full potential. “My passion is in early childhood development. Interventions that occur in the first few years of a child’s life have the opportunity to make the biggest impact on a child’s trajectory,” she says.

Dr. Iyengar is excited to see how the specialty is evolving. “I love how Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics is becoming integrated with other specialties throughout the hospital. There is a growing understanding about the importance of optimizing a child's development in the context of their chronic medical conditions,” she says.

Titles

Attending Physician

Certifications

Pediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics

Awards and Honors

2018, Fostering Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Collaboration Grant, American Academy of Pediatrics State Chapter
2017, Research Scholars symposium, Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
2017, Disability Policy Seminar scholarship, Association of University Centers on Disabilities
2016, Legislative Advocacy Conference scholarship, American Academy of Pediatrics
2015, National ‘America Graduates’ Champion for Early Childhood, WHMT-Public Broadcasting Station Feature

Leadership and Memberships

Memberships in Professional Organizations

2018-present, American Public Health Association
2017-present, Society for Prevention Research
2013-present, American Academy of Pediatrics
 - 2017-present, Leadership Council, District III Representative
2013-present, American Medical Association
2015-present, Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
 - 2017-2018, Communications Committee Member

Editorial and Academic Positions

Academic and Institutional Committees

2018-present, State Interagency Coordinating Council, Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning
2018-present, Health Services Advisory Committee, Early Head Start

Education & training

Graduate Degree

Master of Public Health - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Medical Degree

Doctorate in Medicine - St. George’s University, Grenada

Residency

Pediatrics - Albany Medical Center, New York, NY

Fellowship

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics - Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities - Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Team affiliations

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Patient experience rating

(based on 79 submissions)

  • Clear Explanation
    4.6 of 5
  • Showed Concern
    4.6 of 5
  • Included in decisions
    4.6 of 5
  • Would recommend
    4.5 of 5
  • Discussion of Proposed Treatment
    4.6 of 5
Learn about the patient experience rating system

Comments

  • Dr. Iyengar was absolutely fantastic during our visit. We did not know what to expect or how our child would be evaluated when we started the appointment. However this quickly vanished as Dr. Iyengar explained each step of the process, what she would be monitoring and looking for, listened intently to our current situation and feedback, and clearly laid out next steps in the process. Her expertise and clear communication put us at ease during the appointment. I would highly recommend her to any friend or parent.

    5 of 5
    Jan 17, 2024
  • Fantastic physician. Great relationship with me and my son.

    5 of 5
    Dec 02, 2023
  • Dr. Iyengar is one the most kindest and caring doctor I know. She listened to our concerns and provides solutions. She explains everything thoroughly and takes her time with us. She doesn't make us feel like we are being rushed or a burden to her. I highly recommend Dr. Iyengar to anyone.

    5 of 5
    Oct 31, 2023
  • I thought Dr. Iyengar was the most compassionate person I could have for such a difficult appointment. She explained everything in detail, and made it a lot easier for me to understand

    5 of 5
    Jun 02, 2023
  • Dr. Iyengar's ability to intuitively perceive and offer clear pathways for resolving my daughter's current challenge just blew me away today. She is so very skilled, empathetic, and flat out amazing.

    5 of 5
    Mar 18, 2023
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About the Patient Experience Rating System

The Patient Experience Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related questions shown above from our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. We are committed to true transparency. However, to ensure the comments are fair and correctly attributed, we review each one before posting to the website. We exclude entire comments that disclose patient’s protected health information, are off-topic, or include other confidential or inappropriate content. Comments will appear on provider bios only if providers have a minimum number of comments. Comments are shared internally for education purposes to ensure that we are doing our very best for the patients and families for whom we are privileged to care. The comments are submitted by patients and families and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not reflect the views of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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