Pediatric Neurology


Faculty

John Sladky
Department: MD-PEDS-NEUROLOGY

John Sladky M.D.

Clinical Professor

A. Required one month rotation occurring in the first year of training at institute 1 and requiring 10% of the fellow’s time.

B. Faculty consists of four full-time Pediatric Neurologists, and 1 to 2 nurse practitioners.

C. Fellows see new and follow up patients for evaluation, diagnosis and treatment in the outpatient setting. Faculty is present on site.

D. Children in this clinic range from newborns to adolescents, and represent an array of ethnic backgrounds. Exposure to a broad range of disorders is offered, and those diagnoses include seizure disorder/epilepsy, migraine, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, tic disorders, and neurogenetic disorders.

E. Caseloads vary according to clinic and patient needs. Fellows are responsible for chart review, patient and family interviews, neurological assessment, and diagnostic formulation.

F. Fellows receive case-by-case supervision from faculty who is present on-site. The faculty staffs all the cases.

G. Following are the goals and objectives for this rotation:

Goal: To prepare fellows to practice Child and Adolescent Psychiatry with a basic understanding of Pediatric Neurology and the clinical interface of childhood psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Objectives

Patient Care

After completing this rotation, fellows should have the knowledge of:

  • Assess common neurological disorders in children and adolescents
  • Perform basic physical and neurological examination of children and adolescents with neurological disorders.
  • Select and order appropriate diagnostic tests (e.g., EEG, MRI, PET scan) for children with comorbid psychiatric and neurological disorders.
  • Integrate neurobiological issues into a comprehensive formulation, differential diagnosis, and treatment plan

Knowledge

After completing this rotation, fellows should have the knowledge of:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of basic neuroanatomy.
  • Assessment and treatment of common pediatric neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, head trauma, pseudoseizures, conversion disorders, Tourette’s Syndrome; comorbid developmental delays and psychiatric disorders.
  • Identify relative contraindications for the use of specific psychotropic medications in the presence of neurological disorders.
  • List indications of common neuro- diagnostic tests used in pediatric neurology.

Skills

After completing this rotation, fellows should demonstrate the ability to:

  • Present case findings to attending in an organized and accurate manner.
  • Perform a physical and neurological examination of children and adolescents with neurological disorders.
  • Conduct a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation that includes pertinent presence or absence of pediatric neurological disorders.
  • Develop a comprehensive differential diagnosis and treatment plan.
  • Identify behavioral and cognitive side effects of medications used to treat neurological disorders.
  • Be familiar with the EEG, MRI, and PET scan findings in children with comorbid psychiatric and neurological disorders.
  • Work effectively with a pediatric neurology team.
  • Treat patients with neurological disorders in an organized and accurate manner.
  • Complete clinical documentation accurately and on time in accordance with institutional policies.

Professionalism

The fellow should demonstrate:

  • Treat patients with neurological disorders with sensitivity and respect.
  • Treat members of the treatment team with respect and collegiality.
  • A strong sense of responsibility for patients.
  • Commitment to supervision to improve his or her skills.
  • Commitment to life-long learning to keep abreast of advances in neurosciences and clinical pediatric neurology relevant to the practice of child and adolescent psychiatry.
  • Ethical conduct in the treatment of all patients and their families