Carole Samango-Sprouse, EdD

Director, Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Center for Young Children; Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University

Dr. Samango-Sprouse has been working with young disabled children for over 20 years.  She received her doctorate from The George Washington University in 1987, where she specialized in neurodevelopmental assessment of children with complex conditions.  She is trained in neuromotor and neurocognitive development, neurobehavioral skills and oral motor assessment for children, with an emphasis on young children with genetic disorders.  She is also certified in neurodevelopmental training (NDT), assessment of pre-term infant behavior (APIB), the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale (BNABS) and studied neurodevelopmental assessment with the renowned Harvard Psychologist, Dr. Heidilaise Als, at Children’s Hospital of Boston.

Dr. Samango-Sprouse has authored more than fifty articles on the neuro-cognitive capabilities of atypical children.  Her current research interests include studies of the relationship between the brain and behavior, and it’s impact on school performance in children with neurogenetic disorders including Neurofibromatosis-Type1 (NF-1), Sex Chromosome Variations (SCV), Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Dyspraxia, among others. She presently serves as Director of the Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Center for Young Children in Davidsonville, Maryland; Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University, and on the medical staff at Children’s National Medical Center.

In her private clinical practice, Dr. Samango-Sprouse evaluates patients with complex conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and X and Y chromosome variations from all over the world in order to develop comprehensive intervention programs that are syndrome-specific.  These programs recognize the complex interaction and intimate connection between brain, cognition, behavior, learning and medical diagnosis.

Dr. Samango-Sprouse has served on numerous advocacy foundations and Boards of Directors for various health and professional organizations throughout her career. She presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) that is part of Cure Autism Now (CAN), a parent advocacy group that fosters neurobiological research on children with Autism.  AGRE is the largest genetic repository of DNA material of families with children who have Autism in the world.  She previously served on the KS&A Board of Directors from 1999 to 2005, and as its Chairman from 2001 to 2003.  She has trained pediatric residents in the behavioral phenotypes and neurodevelopmental performance of children with various genetic disorders at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC since 1982, and reguarly conducts workshops for educational and ancillary health professionals in optimizing children’s development through the recognition of the relationship between behavior, brain and performance throughout the country.