Recent Arcuate Articles – The Arcuate

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, INNOVATIVE CARE, NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, PATIENT FAMILIES

New research program for kids with rare genetic epilepsy

Cook Children’s Neurosciences Research department launched a new program in January 2022 to help children with SYNGAP-1, a rare form of genetic epilepsy.

PRIMARY STEPS FOR PRIMARY CARE

Primary steps: Assessing abnormal movements in childhood

Abnormal movements in pediatric patients can be challenging to characterize, and it can be difficult to determine when one should be concerned. Babies and children do lots of funny things, but knowing when to move forward with a diagnostic workup of abnormal movement can be confusing.

Photo of Dr. Jennifer Pitts, pediatric neurologist

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, PATIENT FAMILIES

Cook Children’s and Covenant Children’s: Providing neurology care in Lubbock

A pediatric neurologist from Cook Children’s is now seeing patients in Lubbock thanks to a hospital partnership that brings specialized care closer to home for residents of West Texas and eastern New Mexico.

Photo of Lindsey Carnes, Ph.D., neuropsychology faculty member

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Cook Children’s Neurosciences welcomes new Neuropsychology faculty member

The Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center at Cook Children’s continues to grow our faculty to meet the needs of our patients. In January 2022, we welcomed Lindsey Carnes, Ph.D. as our fourth neuropsychologist.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Laila Mohammad, M.D., joins Cook Children’s Neurosurgery team

Cook Children’s Institute for MIND Health is pleased to welcome Laila Mohammad, M.D. to Neurosurgery. She completed her medical degree at Vanderbilt University and neurosurgery residency at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine prior to completing fellowship training in pediatric neurosurgery at Northwestern University (Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital.)

PRIMARY STEPS FOR PRIMARY CARE

Primary Steps for Primary Care: Evaluation and behavior management in children with developmental and/or cognitive delays

Management of behavioral problems in children can be challenging, particularly in those with developmental or cognitive delays.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, PATIENT FAMILIES

Epilepsy is more than seizures: Epilepsy Awareness Month

Cook Children’s Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center continues the tradition of making November, Epilepsy Awareness Month, a priority each year as we aim to bring more attention to this common, yet rarely discussed condition.

NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH

Neurosciences Research Center celebrates successes in year two

The Neurosciences Research Center at Cook Children’s, supported by the Dodson Neuro Research Endowment, celebrates two years as of October 2021. Despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the program, directed by Christos Papadelis, Ph.D., has made tremendous strides in this time.

INNOVATIVE CARE, NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, PATIENT FAMILIES

Linh Tran, D.O., M.S., joins Cook Children’s Epilepsy Program

In August 2021, Dr. Linh Tran joins Neurology as an epileptologist in our Comprehensive Epilepsy Program. Dr. Tran is a native of Fort Worth and completed her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at University of North Texas Health Science Center.

INNOVATIVE CARE, NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Teaming up to treat mitochondrial disorders

Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the human body. They are present in every human organ and are responsible for cellular energy production. As a result, mitochondrial disorders can involve one or many organ systems and are often difficult to diagnose and treat.

INNOVATIVE CARE

New collaboration to improve treatment of functional neurologic disorders

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic puts all of our coping skills to the test. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable, with a rapidly growing number experiencing novel mental health symptoms.

INNOVATIVE CARE, NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Genetic Epilepsy program expands with sleep specialist and neuropharmacist

Cook Children’s Genetic Epilepsy Program was founded as a collaboration between Neurology (M. Scott Perry, M.D.) and Genetics (Alice Basinger, M.D.) to better serve children with rare epilepsies secondary to genetic etiology.

PRIMARY STEPS FOR PRIMARY CARE

Primary steps for primary care: Sleep disorders in epilepsy and cerebral palsy

Sleep disorders are common among the general pediatric population, but children with neurologic conditions are more likely to develop certain sleep disorders. Two of the most common pediatric neurologic conditions—epilepsy and cerebral palsy—and their frequently associated sleep disorders are presented here.

NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH

Updates from Cook Children’s Neurosciences Research Center

The Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center and Dodson Neurosciences Research Endowment at Cook Children’s Health Care System hired Rupesh K. Chikara, Ph.D., who will work as a postdoctoral research fellow on National Institutes of Health-funded projects related to pediatric refractory epilepsy under the supervision of Christos Papadelis , Ph.D., director of the Cook Children’s Neuroscience Research Center.

INNOVATIVE CARE

Early Identification and Improving Life-Long Outcomes in Cerebral Palsy Patients

Cook Children’s neurologist, Stephanie Acord, M.D., discusses the importance of early identification of cerebral palsy, common misconceptions of the diagnoses as well as new diagnostic methods and therapies for children with mild to severe cerebral palsy and how they are helping improve life-long outcomes.

NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

News from Cook Children’s Neurosciences Research Center

Yanlong Song Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at the Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center at Cook Children’s was awarded the 2020 American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) Research Grant, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Pediatric Rehabilitation Resource Center.

PATIENT FAMILIES

Epilepsy Awareness: Seizure Recognition and First Aid Program

Epilepsy affects 1 in 26 people during their lifetime and 3.4 million people currently live with active epilepsy in the U.S.

PRIMARY STEPS FOR PRIMARY CARE

Primary Steps for Primary Care: Microcephaly

Central to a newborn examination is the tracking of growth parameters; head circumference is a key component in that evaluation. Identification of an abnormal head circumference, especially in the context of developmental delays, warrants evaluation by a neurologist and possibly a geneticist.