Dr. Naveena Karthik

Dr. Naveena Karthik is a developmental-behavioural paediatrician dedicated to supporting children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions. Her approach combines early detection, evidence-based treatment, and family-centered care to help each child reach their fullest potential.

She works closely with families to identify developmental concerns, design meaningful interventions, and support them at every stage of their child’s journey. Her mission goes beyond clinical treatment — she aims to empower families with confidence, clarity, and hope.

Dr. Naveena provides comprehensive developmental care for a wide range of conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities (LD), intellectual disability (ID), global developmental delay (GDD), behavioural and emotional difficulties, feeding and sleep issues in neurodiverse children, psychosomatic concerns in adolescents, and developmental supportive care for expectant mothers.

Her evolving area of expertise lies in adolescent transition, particularly for teens with developmental and behavioural challenges. She focuses on building daily living and life skills, emotional regulation strategies, personal safety and consent education, functional communication, social thinking, and vocational planning. She is currently undergoing training in adolescent life skills education based on the WHO-SEARO–NIMHANS model, which promotes psychosocial competence and adaptive functioning.

Dr. Naveena currently practices as a Visiting Consultant at multiple centres in Chennai, including Kauvery Hospital (Vadapalani and Kovilambakkam), Hamsa Kids Child Development Centre, and MIOT International Hospital. She works in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic care addressing developmental, behavioural, and emotional needs.

Her educational background includes an MBBS from Sri Ramachandra Medical College, a DCH (UK) from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, a PGDDN in Developmental Neurology from CDC Trivandrum, an ADSN in Inclusive and Special Needs Education from Singapore, and a PGDCFT in Counselling and Family Therapy from Madras University. She is currently pursuing a Paediatric Neurodisability Certification (Sheffield, NHS UK), a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Course (CAMH – 2025), and the Adolescent Life Skills Training under the WHO-SEARO–NIMHANS Model.

Beyond the clinic, Dr. Naveena actively participates in webinars, support groups, and educational outreach for parents, educators, and caregivers. She regularly conducts sessions on topics such as “Parenting Your Teenager,” “Is Your Child Developing Normally?”, “Understanding Behavioural Challenges in Under-5s,” and “Navigating Adolescent Immunization and Health.” She contributes to platforms like Hamsa Kids, Kauvery Kway, and other newsletters, simplifying clinical insights for the public.

She has served as a speaker, panelist, and faculty in several national academic forums — including presentations at HANACON, AHA Erode, Autism CMEs, Adolescon, and NCDP. She has also been a Scientific Committee Member and Moderator at AUTCON and GDBP and contributed to academic resources like the GLOW Book. Her workshop expertise includes early intervention, HINE assessments, and social skills development.

Dr. Naveena is a life member of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) and its chapters on Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics, Adolescent Health, and Behavioural Pediatrics. She is also an overseas member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (UK) and a member of the British Academy of Childhood Disability.