Dr. Cindy Chestaro
Siskin Children’s Institute welcomes Dr. Cindy Chestaro to the Siskin Center for Developmental Pediatrics. Dr. Chestaro is a Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, whose passion is working with children with special needs and their families.
“Dr. Chestaro brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our center as we continue to grow to meet the need of families in our region,“ said Derek Bullard, president and CEO of Siskin Children’s Institute. “Improving access to care for families is one of our priorities and adding Dr. Chestaro to the team will dramatically increase the number of children and families we can serve including our Spanish speaking families.”
Dr. Chestaro specializes in the diagnostic evaluation, medical management, and family support for children with developmental and behavioral conditions – including Autism Spectrum Disorder, intellectual disability, complex ADHD, learning disorders, speech and language disorders, developmental delays, and behavioral disorders. In addition to her clinical focus, Dr. Chestaro serves in a teaching capacity through her Clinical Assistant Professor appointment at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine at Chattanooga, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
Dr. Chestaro earned her medical degree from the Universidad Iberoamericana UNIBE School of Medicine in the Dominican Republic. She completed her residency at John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County in Chicago followed by a fellowship in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Chicago and a fellowship in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a member of the Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as well as a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has been involved in many community projects, lead several seminars on disability related topics, and shared her expertise through lectures and serving as a clinical teaching preceptor.
“As a developmental behavioral pediatrician, my greatest desire is to help each child be the best they can be by highlighting their strengths while supporting their challenges," said Dr. Chestaro. "I have always been very passionate about empowering families through education and counseling so they celebrate their child’s individual traits and feel confident in working with and supporting their child.”
Siskin Children’s Institute practices an interdisciplinary approach to early identification and intervention for developmental and behavioral concerns. The team consists of specialists in the areas of developmental pediatrics, speech pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, behavior psychology, applied behavior analysis, nursing, and supportive staff. These professionals work collaboratively with the family to support the unique needs of each child.
Siskin Children's Institute is affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics with the University Of Tennessee College Of Medicine Chattanooga and with Children's Hospital at Erlanger. This collaboration increases the access to a wide range of specialty medical services that are needed to provide high-quality comprehensive care to our patients while also educating our future pediatricians to support local workforce development, said officials.
For more information about the Center for Developmental Pediatric at Siskin Children’s Institute, visit siskin.org.