WELCOME
Welcome to San Diego Kids First, a highly specialized psychology practice committed to maximizing the developmental, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic potential of children, teens, and families.
It’s our philosophy to meet you where you are. Even literally! In addition to traditional office sessions, we offer in-home, school-based, & telehealth services. Wherever we meet, let’s find the answers.
As featured in:
“I want families to have access to all the skills and strategies that psychologists know are important for maximizing their child’s development and progress. Caregivers who are able to apply these core strategies regularly at home, yield far more dramatic and long-lasting changes in their child than those who rely on professional support alone.”
– Dr. Deborah Pontillo
MODULE 1: Your Child’s Strengths
MODULE 2: Motivation and Behavior Challenges
MODULE 3: Teaching Perspective Taking
MODULE 4: Tools and Tips for Managing Rigidity
To learn more bout this program, please contact our office manager at 858-692-4187 // contact@sdkidsfirst.com
SAN DIEGO BEHAVIOR SOLUTIONS
“The amazing thing about what San Diego Behavior Solutions provides is that it doesn’t strictly adhere to an ABA program for kids. Although the behavior interventionists have that training – they also have training in other behavioral models as well. In fact, San Diego Behavior Solutions behavioral approach is finding tailored behavioral strategies that work – that may or not be ABA based – and teaching parents how to utilize them in the home environment. I believe one of the reasons why this service is in such high demand is because after many clients meet with their behavior specialists one time, they have the tools they need and don’t need them to come back right away or at all!”
– Dr. Deborah Pontillo, Ph.D.
San Diego Behavior Solutions provides in-home behavioral health services to improve skills and support children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and other social and behavioral challenges.
In addition to direct intervention and skills training with children, SDBS also provides:
- 1:1 Behavioral Modification with Child
- 1:1 Observation
- Functional Behavioral Assessment
- Social Skills Training
- In Home Behavior Intervention
- In person Academic Support
- In-vivo training of parents and caregivers to allow families to foster the growth and development of their children in natural settings in day-to-day life.
We strive to provide these services in a caring manner that stimulates, engages, and motivates children to embrace learning by addressing their individual needs in their own familiar environments. The specific strategies used in each child’s program will vary based on their individual needs and abilities. We also strongly recommend families take advantage of our parent coaching sessions, to allow parents to gain the skills necessary to reinforce and accelerate their child’s progress in-between intervention sessions.
For more information, head to our website SD Behavior Solutions
There are good reasons why we are known as the top specialty clinic in san diego
What Others Say About Us
I am a general pediatrician with a special interest in ADHD, spending about 20% of my clinical time caring for ADHD patients. I have known Dr Pontillo since 2005 and have an enormous respect for her clinical skills and insights. She is my “go to” psychologist for more complicated developmental issues and for diagnosis of subtle high functioning disabilities. Dr. Pontillo’s interest in her patients and her ability to clearly delineate developmental problems allows parents to move forward with establishing a treatment plan. She is an invaluable resource to the San Diego Pediatric community.
Dr. Pontillo is an exceptional, and one-of-a-kind child psychologist. I have referred many children of my patients to Dr. Pontillo and she has always given them the best care and attention. Referring a patient to another professional is a big responsibility. I always look for a colleague who is efficient, professional, experienced and one who is able to come up with a clear diagnosis. I keep referring to Dr. Pontillo because of her expertise, efficiency and especially her warm and caring personality that is extremely necessary when dealing with children. I very highly recommend Deborah Pontillo, Ph.D as a child diagnostician, developmental and behavioral specialist, and therapist.
I’ve been referring my patients to Dr. Pontillo for the past several years with the utmost confidence that she will care and understand their developmental needs. Dr. Pontillo always provided them with a balanced and age appropriate intervention to help not only the child but the family as a whole.
