Trenna Sutcliffe, M.D.

Okay. Well, initially I did an undergrad and master's degree in genetics and then went on to medical school. After medical school, I went on and did a residency in pediatrics, but ultimately wanted to do developmental behavioral pediatrics for numerous reasons because it just was a really good fit with my interests and passions. So I did actually a year in

Okay. Well, initially I did an undergrad and master's degree in genetics and then went on to medical school. After medical school, I went on and did a residency in pediatrics, but ultimately wanted to do developmental behavioral pediatrics for numerous reasons because it just was a really good fit with my interests and passions. So I did actually a year in

pediatric neurology, and then a full fellowship in developmental behavioral pediatrics before moving to California.

pediatric neurology, and then a full fellowship in developmental behavioral pediatrics before moving to California.

Correct.

Correct.

how I look at it clinically.

how I look at it clinically.

So with all of these diagnoses, anxiety, ADHD, autism, they're behavioral clinical diagnoses. So it's based on checklists of a number of traits and characteristics. Now, you need to be working with a clinician, a physician who has enough experience to

So with all of these diagnoses, anxiety, ADHD, autism, they're behavioral clinical diagnoses. So it's based on checklists of a number of traits and characteristics. Now, you need to be working with a clinician, a physician who has enough experience to

diagnosing these conditions, trained in these conditions, but essentially that person needs to be an expert on what the clinical picture looks like because there's no biomarkers for any of these conditions. That's the key thing. There are no blood tests, there are no brain scans to say who has anxiety, who has ADHD, who has autism.

diagnosing these conditions, trained in these conditions, but essentially that person needs to be an expert on what the clinical picture looks like because there's no biomarkers for any of these conditions. That's the key thing. There are no blood tests, there are no brain scans to say who has anxiety, who has ADHD, who has autism.

I have families come to me all the time and I explain to them I have these clinical boxes and labels and diagnoses in my clinic. And these boxes and labels are man-made. We create these lists of criteria. But neurobiology in the brain is much more complex than these boxes.

I have families come to me all the time and I explain to them I have these clinical boxes and labels and diagnoses in my clinic. And these boxes and labels are man-made. We create these lists of criteria. But neurobiology in the brain is much more complex than these boxes.

So the key thing is to have a clinician who looks at the, and for me, a child, and looking at their traits at home, at school, in multiple environments, collecting data through talking to parents' history, getting information from people other than the parents. So that's using rating forms or talking to teachers and therapists.

So the key thing is to have a clinician who looks at the, and for me, a child, and looking at their traits at home, at school, in multiple environments, collecting data through talking to parents' history, getting information from people other than the parents. So that's using rating forms or talking to teachers and therapists.

Ideally, we get to see the child in their real-life environment, so maybe even observing them in a real-life place like school, and then doing assessment in the clinic to collect information about them. And with that, that clinician decides whether or not they meet diagnostic criteria, a list of traits or characteristics described in a book called the DSM.

Ideally, we get to see the child in their real-life environment, so maybe even observing them in a real-life place like school, and then doing assessment in the clinic to collect information about them. And with that, that clinician decides whether or not they meet diagnostic criteria, a list of traits or characteristics described in a book called the DSM.

And then we decide whether that child meets that criteria. But one of the key things is about whether or not those traits are creating impairment. And that's a key criteria for any of these diagnoses. For example, anxiety. We all have feelings of anxiety. Anxiety is actually a very appropriate, normal feeling that we should all have. But it's all about how much impairment is it creating?

And then we decide whether that child meets that criteria. But one of the key things is about whether or not those traits are creating impairment. And that's a key criteria for any of these diagnoses. For example, anxiety. We all have feelings of anxiety. Anxiety is actually a very appropriate, normal feeling that we should all have. But it's all about how much impairment is it creating?