When a child's doctor recommends that the child sees a pediatric neurologist, it is because they suspect a disorder of the nervous system. Specializing in all types of nervous system disorders, some of the more typical neurological disorders and diseases we diagnosis and treat are:
- Attention deficit, learning and processing disorders
- Autism spectrum disorders, PDD
- Developmental delays
- Epilepsy and Seizures
- Headache and migraine disorders
- Head and Spinal Cord Trauma
- Head shape or head size disorders
- Infections or inflammatory processes
- Motor impairments: cerebral palsy, ataxias, hypotonia, and hypertonia
- Movement disorders: Tourette syndrome, other tic disorders, chorea, dystonia
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Neurogenetic or hereditary disorders
- Prenatal/Neonatal Neurology
- Progressive neurologic disorders such as mitochondrial disorders, leukodystrophy
- Sleep disorders
Diagnosing Neurologic Conditions
If a child is suspected of having a neurologic disorder, the doctor will perform a physical exam and take a detailed medical history. In addition, a number of tests may be ordered. These can include:
Please note that as of April 26 Pediatric Neurology has relocated to 801 Massachusetts Avenue (Crosstown Building), 7th floor.
Contact Us
Monday-Friday - 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Specialty Clinics
Autism Program
The Autism Program assists and empowers individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and related disabilities through direct patient care and support, provider education, and community-based outreach. This unique Program fills a critical gap in existing community and hospital-based resources for families of children with autism because few programs are available in Boston for families with limited English proficiency.
Cerebral Palsy
Dr. Karl Kuban has special expertise in motor impairments, particularly those associated with cerebral palsy. Dr. Kuban received formal training as a cerebral palsy fellow at Children's Hospital Boston, and has more than 30 years experience caring for patients with this disorder.
Developmental Delay
A child's development is delayed if he or she is lagging behind other children of the same age in one or more of the following areas: speech and language, motor skills, intelligence, attention span, learning in school, behavior and emotional control, and social skills. Many such children catch up, but not all, and in some cases further evaluation is needed so the best possible treatments can be offered.
The Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Trauma Program
Division of Pediatric Neurology work closely with many subspecialties available at BMC including: neurosurgery, orthopedics, intensive care team, epileptologists, sleep specialists, specialized services in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Vestibular therapy, Cognitive therapy, Ophthalmology, ENT, Feeding specialists, Nutrition and Psychology/Psychiatry services in the management of these children.
Pediatric Movement Disorders
There are many causes of movement disorders including structural damage to the brain, medications, infections, autoimmune conditions, and disorders prompted by genetics, among others. Some movement disorders represent a broader problem with the nervous system or a specific disease or disorder, while for others the movement disorder occurs in isolation. Some movement disorders worsen over time, some improve, while others don't change.
Concussion Clinic for Children
BMC's concussion specialists provide timely, expert care and treatment for children with head injuries.
Programs and Services
Pediatrics - Special Kids Special Help
This web site was created to serve as a resource for families of children with neurological or developmental disorders, including epilepsy, autism, and developmental delay.
Diagnostics and Tests
Our Team
Pediatric Neurologists
Laurie M Douglass, MD
Pediatric Neurologist
Jessica H. Chao, MD
Pediatric Neurologist
Rinat Jonas, MD
Pediatric Neurologist
Patrick D. Mabray, MD, PhD
Pediatric Neurologist
Alcy R. Torres, MD
Pediatric Neurologist
Elizabeth Lowe, RN
Nurse and Care Coordinator: Outpatient Neurology and Epilepsy Programs
Research Overview
The Role of Research
The pediatric neurology faculty at Boston Medical Center is actively involved in basic science and clinical research. Division staff members have presented their work at meetings of the Child Neurology Society, the American Epilepsy Society, and the International Child Neurology Association, often in collaboration with pediatric neurology residents or medical students.
The following is a selected list of research activities currently underway involving Pediatric Neurology Division faculty:
- Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGAN) study (NIH): molecular antecedents of brain damage (Kuban)
- Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)/Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGAN) study (Douglass, Kuban, Rana)
- Analyses about antecedent risks of CP and natural history of CP among ELGANs (Kuban)
- Validation of bedside method for estimating intracranial pressure in term and preterm infants (Kuban, Torres)
- Antecedent risks, clinical correlates, and natural history of congenital and acquired microcephaly among ELGANs (Kuban)
- Association of MRI-based brain volumetrics with neurological and behavioral outcomes in ELGANs
- The role of early exposure to inflammatory and neurotrophic proteins on changes in head size between birth and two years of age in ELGANs
- Evaluating the association of MRI-identified white matter tracts and connectomes with volumetrics at 15 years with neurological, cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric outcomes in a large cohort of ELGANs (Kuban, Mabray)
- Evaluating the association of traumatic head injury with alterations in MRI-identified white matter tracts and connectomes (Mabray, Torres)
- Further clinical analyses in 406 cases of febrile seizures followed prospectively (Rosman)
- Epilepsy in children born extremely prematurely (Douglass, Kuban)
- Concussion Referrals in Pediatrics and Adolescents in the Urban Safety-Net Hospital (Torres)
- Concussion Referrals for Urban Safety Net Hospital (Katz, Torres)
- Impact of embedding a psychologist in a pediatric concussion program (Goldman, Torres)
- Assessing factors associated with persistent post-concussion symptoms (Torres)
- Multicenter description of Acute Flaccid Myelitis Patients treated with fluoxetine (Torres)
- Controlled evaluation of ADHD in children with idiopathic epilepsy (Douglass)
- Validation of a two step seizure screen in Spanish (Douglass, Torres, Jonas)
- Pharmacological clinical trials in childhood epilepsy: Levetiracetam (Keppra), Lamotrigine (Lamictal) (DeBassio, Douglass, Montouris)
- Causes and consequences of acquired microcephaly (Rosman)
Residency and Fellowship Information
Welcome to the Child Neurology Residency Program at Boston Medical Center! We are excited that you will be joining us in one of the most fulfilling and invigorating fields in medicine.