What Does a Pediatric Neurologist Do?
Pediatric Neurologist
The nervous system and the brain are the hubs of everything a human body does, from keeping the heart beating and breathing to driving a car and picking pencils. When the nervous system doesn’t function the way it should, it can impact the entire body. Pediatric neurologists are healthcare professionals who are skilled and specialized in treating the conditions associated with the nervous system and brain.
This comprises the spine, nerves, and brain. Any complication in these areas can cause problems like development delays, multiple sclerosis, seizures, and headaches. These healthcare professionals or experts are specialized in treating these conditions in kids or children.
What Does a Pediatric Neurologist Do?
While Pediatric neurologists work on maximum conditions associated with the brain and nervous system, they work especially with children and young people. Pediatric doctors generally treat children between 18-19 years of age. They receive the training to address a child’s unique needs, which also comprise their specific conditions.
They see a plethora of patients and treat some general neurological conditions like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and migraines, as well as rare and complex conditions like degenerative neurological conditions, metabolic conditions, and traumatic neural injury.
Because it is a vast field, some neurologists may focus on certain conditions, which are very composite and need large treatment. Examples include brain tumors, stroke, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy.
What Conditions Do Pediatric Neurologists Deal With?
A Pediatric neurologist treats any condition associated with the nervous system or brain. While some conditions are general, some are genetic as well. In some other cases, they might occur due to trauma. The conditions are extensive and comprise Tourette’s epilepsy, muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy, and developmental issues. Despite practicing general child neurology. Their specialties may involve malformations, genetic conditions, nerve diseases, complex metabolic disorders, and autism.
Reasons to See a Pediatric Neurologist
Your child’s family doctor or paediatrician may refer them to a child neurologist if they suspect the following things-
Problems with motor functions or coordination.
Seizure
Unintentional tics and jerks
Walking issues
Developmental delays
Tremors
Problems moving around
Lack of tingling, numbness, or sensation
Pain
Memory loss
Unexplained consciousness loss
Poor balance
Severe and frequent headaches
If your little one is diagnosed with such conditions, you should immediately take him for further check-ups and treatment.
What to Expect from the Pediatric Neurologist
When you visit your child’s family doctor or neurologist, assessment will be done using several techniques. For instance, the healthcare expert may utilize a hammer to hit on the knees or elbows to check the reflexes. They also use different lights to inspect neural functions. In addition, to monitor your child’s coordination, motor
skills, mental status, and balance, you may ask them to stand from a sitting position, walk or run, report words and phrases and answer certain questions.
Because healthcare expert must deal with children, they should have training on steps to coordinate with the patients having limited or non-existent verbal skills. However, they will ask questions from caregivers or parents to better know the kid.
What tests does a pediatric neurologist perform or order?
Healthcare experts or doctors can perform or order a wide variety of screening and diagnostic tests, including:
Electroencephalogram (EEG): This test is performed to record the brain’s electrical activity and identify symptoms like blacking out, fainting or seizures.
Electromyogram (EMG): In this test, the neurologist records the muscle and nerve’s electrical activity and identifies the symptoms, such as weakness or tingling in the nerves and muscles, numbness, or pain.
Evoked potentials: Under this test, the doctors record the electrical response of the brain to diagnose dizziness and sensory stimulation, numbness, visual disorders, and tingling.
General health and screening: These tests include arterial blood gas testing, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, kidney function tests, electrolyte tests, blood glucose (sugar) test, chest X-rays, urinalysis, spinal fluid analysis, blood culture, and the complete blood count.
Imaging tests: The doctors perform imaging tests to look at the nervous system, spine, and brain, including magnetic resonance imaging, carotid ultrasounds, nuclear scans, computed tomography scans, and X-rays.
Psychometric and neurological testing: The test is performed to diagnose learning disorders.
Sleep studies: Under this test, the doctors record the activity of brain waves during sleep and diagnose some causes of sleep problems.
What treatment or procedure does the pediatric neurologist perform?
The doctors perform or order various treatments and procedures. Medication is the primary treatment used by them. They do not perform surgery on the nervous system or brain. Instead, a doctor specializing in neurosurgery performs the procedure on the nervous system and brain. The general procedures include:
Treatment for seizure disorder: This includes the ketogenic diet and vagus nerve stimulation.
Nervous system biopsy: It includes taking a tissue sample to diagnose cancer.
Lumbar puncture: It is also known as a spinal tap to monitor infections and multiple sclerosis. It can also inject certain drugs or medications into the spine.
Cerebral angiography: It is an X-ray scan showing how blood flows in your brain through the arteries.
If you are searching for a Pediatric neurologist, then Dr. R.K. Jain is there to help you when you have fewer clues about what you should do. Of course, it is a hard time when you notice your child is suffering from a neurological disorder. Still, the quicker you get them for diagnosis and treatment, the more possibilities you will have to reduce the complications. Therefore, if you are concerned about your child, do not wait to see Dr. R.K Jain, and resolve the future complications shortly.