Robin L. Hansen, M.D.

Director of Clinical Programs, M.I.N.D. Institute; Professor and Chief, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine

UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute
2825 50th Street
Sacramento, CA 95817
E-mail: robin.hansen@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

Dr. Hansen is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician/researcher with vast experience in treating children with neurodevelopmental problems such as pervasive developmental disorder, autism, learning disorders, and attention deficits.  She heads a multidisciplinary clinic that diagnoses children, plans/initiates intervention strategies, and works closely with patient families.  Her clinical research has focused on children’s temperament and its effects on parenting, long-term effects of prenatal drug exposure, etiologic diagnosis of pervasive gene-environment interactions.  Dr. Hansen has developed services for families affected by parental substance abuse, infant metal health, and children in foster care in Sacramento County.  She has been an advocate for children at high risk for developmental/behavioral disorders through her research and community service at the local, state and national level.

B.A. Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, 1973
M.D.  University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, California, 1977

Focus on Autism Research: Genetics of Autism, UCLA Psychiatry Grand Rounds & Rhoda and Bernard G. Sarnat Endowed Lecturer, Los Angeles, CA, April 2004.

Hansen RL, Hagerman RJ. Contributions of Pediatrics. In S Ozonoff, S Rogers, R Hendren (Eds.) Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Research Review for Practitioners, pp.115-148, 2003.  American Psychiatric Publishing. This chapter is a review of the latest research findings and clinical implications focused for practitioners regarding the medical evaluation of children suspected of or diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders.

Hansen RL, Ozonoff S. Alternative theories: assessment & therapy options, pIn S Ozonoff, S Rogers, R Hendren (Eds.) Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Research Review for Practitioners, pp. 256-285, 2003.  American Psychiatric Publishing.  This chapter is a review of the available peer-reviewed literature on alternative theories and therapies for autism spectrum disorders.

Hansen RL, Lakhani F, Barton K, Metcalf MB, Joye NR. Comparing the health status of low-income children in and out of foster care. Child Welfare 83(4), 367-380, 2004. This study compared the medical, developmental, behavioral and mental health care needs of children in foster care with a similar group of children not in foster care, finding significantly more identified problems in all areas.

Jelliffe-Pawlowski LL, Hansen RL. Neurodevelopmental outcome at 8-months and 4-years among infants born full-term small-for-gestational-age. Journal of Perinatology 24, 505-514, 2004. This study analyzed the developmental outcomes of infants at risk because of intrauterine growth restriction, separating the outcomes of term from preterm SGA infants and controlling for multiple confounding risk factors. Regardless of socioeconomic status, infants born full-term SGA were found to be at higher risk for neurdevelopmental problems at both 8 months and 4 years of age.

Hansen RL, Hagerman RJ.  Fragile X syndrome in adulthood. In CR Reynolds & S Goldstein (Ed.) Handbook of Neurodevelopmental & Genetic Disorders in Adults, 2004. Guilford Publications, Inc. This chapter is a review of research and important medical, developmental and mental health issues in adults with Fragile X syndrome. 

Nowicki S, Hansen RL, Hagerman, RJ. Fragile X and X linked mental retardation. In A Capute & R Accardo (Eds.) Developmental Disabilities in Infancy and Childhood, 2004. This chapter is a review of recent research on syndromic and non-syndromic X linked mental retardation.

Update on Developmental Outcomes of Children with Prenatal Cocaine Exposure, The Summer Institute on Neurodevelopmental Disorders, sponsored by the M.I.N.D. Institute, Sacramento, CA, August 2003.

Exploring the interactions between genes and the environment in autistic spectrum disorders, Neurotoxicology Conference, sponsored by the Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Honolulu, Hawaii, February 2004.

Investigator (Pessah, PI): Environmental Factors in the Etiology of autism, NIEHS, 9/01-8/31/06, $1,000,000 annually.  Project 1- (PI: I Hertz-Picciotto: Environmental Epidemiology of Autism) $250,000 annually. This Center will carry out a multi-disciplinary investigation of environmental factors and autism.  Epidemiologic, in vivo primate, and cell system studies are included as complementary units.  Project 1 is a case control epidemiologic study that will address a broad array of environmental exposures, susceptibility factors, and their interaction in the etiology of autism.

Investigator (Ozonoff, PI): Infants at risk of autism: A longitudinal study, NIMH, 2003-08, $305,000 annual direct. This grant looks for early markers of autism and the broader autism phenotype in infant relatives of children with autism, developmental delay, and typical development.

Principal Investigator: Double-blind, placebo controlled study of gluten restriction in young children with autistic disorder. M.I.N.D. Institute Research Grant, 2004-05, $20,000. This is the first double-blind, placebo controlled study eliminating gluten from the diet of children with autism and documenting the behavioral as well as biologic changes that occur with elimination as well as with a gluten challenge.

Principal Investigator: Cognitive and temperament constellations in preschool children with aggressive behavior. Children’s Miracle Network, 2004-05, $24,462. This study will investigate the relationship between neuropychological profiles and temperament characteristics in preschool children referred for assessment because of aggressive behaviors

Investigator (PI: T Witt): UCDMC Developmental Care Clinic, Sacramento County Children’s and Families Commission, $882,300 annual direct. Developmental Care Clinic provides longitudinal developmental assessments, treatment and referrals for children hospitalized at birth in the UCDMC special care nurseries at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, in order to provide early diagnosis and promote school readiness. 

Consultant (PI: D Baker): Safe Schools/Healthy Students Village Project Initiative, Sacramento City Unified School District, $3,000,000 annual. As part of the SCUSD Village Project and in collaboration with California State University Sacramento, the Developmental Assessment Team was developed as a multidisciplinary training and assessment team for young children with behavioral difficulties.

Director of Clinical Programs, M.I.N.D. Institute
Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, Department of Pediatrics
Member, Executive Committee, and Chair, Colloquium Committee, Department of Human and Community Development
School of Medicine, Faculty Development Advisory Committee
UC Davis, Committee on Physician Health
Member, California DDS Monitoring Team, San Diego Regional Center
Consultant, California State University, Sonoma “First Five” Project
Expert Panel, Kids on the Autism Spectrum, Placer County, CA
Council, Western Society for Pediatric Research
Associate Editor, Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Executive Committee, Society of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
Reviewer: Journal of Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Journal of Diseases of Children, American Journal of Obstetrics, California Policy Seminar, National Board of Medical Examiners, Developmental Disabilities Digest, Institute of Medicine Report on Vaccines and Autism, 2004.
Special Olympics

Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics