
When To Visit A Paediatric Neurologist? & Other Common Questions Answered
Case A: An otherwise healthy 8-year-old girl was rushed to the emergency room who complained of a new-onset seizure. She was playing with her friends on the playground when she had a 2-minute episode of eye deviation, staring, right-sided jerking, and unresponsiveness. Also, she had been very sleepy for the last two hours since the incident. There had been no family history of seizures. Case B: Despite being in his 9th month, a male child had only started to sit up, but hadn’t even tried crawling yet. He babbled in an appropriate manner. He could merely eat pureed foods and drink from a bottle. Also, he wasn’t putting on weight. He had a persistent cough and was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia at the age of six months. |
What would you do if you witnessed your child encountering such incidents or any trauma episodes beyond your explanations?No brownie points for guessing this – You certainly visit a Paediatric Neurologist!
Does a Paediatric Neurologist help you only when your child has turned 1 and yet doesn't say a word?
No. The scope of work of a child neurologist goes way beyond.
We all more or less know that a paediatric neurologist helps children with learning disabilities and developmental disorders. But little do we know that they deal with every disease or condition related to a child’s brain and the entire nervous system. They create extensive developmental plans for a child by teaming up with his parents and other caregiver groups.
In simple words, whenever there is a dysfunction in the brain, spine, nerves, or muscles, which results in seizures, headaches, and developmental delays, a paediatric neurologist can help. Their advanced training and experience enable them to meet your child’s unique needs right from their adolescent state to adulthood.
My child seems to be way too quiet and non-socializing. Should I visit a Paediatric Neurologist?
Yes, and also for the below neurological diseases:
- Epilepsy and seizures
- Muscle problems that can lead to weakness include: neuropathy or muscular dystrophy
- Behavioral issues – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tourette Syndrome and sleep disorders
- Autism
- Simple illnesses – Headaches (Migraines and Concussions), Cerebral palsy, delayed speech, delayed motor milestones, and coordination issues developmental problems.
- Intellectual disability
- Congenital malformations (abnormalities that hinder brain development or formation)
- Stroke and traumatic brain injury are two common causes of death (TBI)
- Rare or difficult conditions – Nervous system disorders caused by genetic mutations or degenerative disorders
- Autoimmune conditions affecting the brain and spinal cord (such as multiple sclerosis)
- Infections or inflammation of the brain (such as meningitis or encephalitis)
- Brain tumours
Which medical emergencies can Paediatric Neurologists help with?
- Following up on emergency treatment for a head, neck, or back injury.
- Headaches, weakness, dizziness, or vertigo that persist despite your paediatrician’s treatment
- Memory, speech, balance, coordination, or muscle control issues that your paediatrician believes are the result of a brain or nervous system disorder.
How Do Paediatric Neurologists diagnose a child's condition?
Here is what a paediatric neurologist does:
- They examine a child’s medical history in light of his or her growth and development while educating the child’s parents or guardians about the brain and nervous system health and disease prevention.
- They examine blood pressure, vital signs, and the health of the brain and nervous system, among other things.
- Following the tests, they interpret laboratory and imaging tests and prescribe medications.
- They screen and monitor conditions that put the brain and nervous system at risk of serious problems, such as a head injury that can cause long-term memory loss and headaches.
- If required, they may perform procedures that are invasive, such as lumbar puncture as a part of various tests.
Which other practitioners do paediatric neurologists usually work with?
Child neurologists frequently collaborate with paediatricians or other primary care physicians to get your child upto his/her best potential.
To help your child develop and learn to their full potential, child neurologists frequently collaborate with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists.
Furthermore, child neurologists may collaborate with other paediatric specialists to treat children with more complex or serious medical conditions, such as epilepsy, congenital disabilities, or genetic disorders. These are chronic illnesses that necessitate ongoing treatment and monitoring throughout childhood and adolescence.
Moreover, Neurogenetics has progressed from single-gene disorders to many other complex conditions and spectrums, thanks to advances in the field. Both clinical and basic researchers now have more opportunities than ever before in this field.
Thus, paediatric neurologists have a huge scope ahead in detecting, understanding and treating even the most unknown behavioural and neurological patterns in children.
A specialist for your child's special needs!
Dr Arif Khan is a well-known paediatric neurologist and the founder and director of Neuropedia. He is a board-certified child neurologist. His unwavering commitment to children’s health has led him to a position where he enjoys assisting children with various deficits such as ADHD, Autism, speech, and behaviour-related issues.
Book an appointment with Dr Arif to receive a genuine diagnosis for your child.