Pervasive Developmental Disorders and PTSD:
Dr. Jeanette E. Cueva

Dr. Cueva possesses over 10 years’ experience providing Forensic Evaluations in courts of law and administrative hearings. She has been called on to testify in criminal cases, family law cases and civil cases in her particular areas of expertise: Pervasive Developmental Disorders, including Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD, and PTSD.

As a Forensic Consultant, Dr. Cueva is equipped to undertake the following responsibilities:

• Review and evaluate all pertinent records
• Conduct psychiatric interviews
• Draft written reports with diagnoses, opinions and medical conclusions
• Prepare and organize the production of demonstrative evidence
• Provide expert testimony at deposition and trial

Whether in an administrative hearing or adversarial environment, Dr. Cueva expresses her findings and assessments simply and clearly, explaining concepts in language easily understandable to the layperson, and testifying in a direct, straightforward manner. Her vast knowledge and skills as an insightful, ethical psychiatrist make her an invaluable resource to courts of law or other fact finders in arriving at a just and correct decision.

The term Pervasive Developmental Disorders refers to a group of heterogeneous conditions that share a core triad of disturbances consisting of qualitative impairments in social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as repetitive and stereotyped patterns of interests and behavior. Onset usually occurs early in life, oftentimes in infancy, and is characterized by deficiencies in language and socialization skills, and restricted behavior patterns. These disorders include various diagnostic categories such as Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Rett’s Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, etc. that differ in terms of clinical presentation and long-term outcome.

Individuals with PDD may experience significant additional psychiatric disturbances, among them schizophrenia, mania, depression, suicidal behavior, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance use disorders, catatonia, paranoid ideation, Tourette’s disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Reports also indicate the presence of aggressiveness, temper outbursts, bizarre criminal behavior, preoccupation with weapons and violent themes, fire-setting, inappropriate sexual behavior, school refusal, encopresis, enuresis, elective mutism, and eating and sleep disturbances.

To inquire about Dr. Cueva’s availability for Forensic Evaluations, contact her by phone at 212.685.5373, or by email at drcueva@drcueva.com.

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