Neurology

Pediatric or child neurology expertise may be appropriate when neurological symptoms or disorders occur during the neonatal period, infancy, childhood, or adolescence. Relevant issues may include developmental disorders, seizures, headaches, abnormal movement or muscle tone, neuromuscular disease, neurogenetic conditions, structural brain abnormalities, or other neurological problems affecting a developing child. The expert’s training and experience should correspond to the specific neurological condition involved.

Patterns of weakness, sensory changes, reflexes, coordination, muscle tone, and other neurological findings can help identify the anatomical level of dysfunction. Brain or spinal imaging, EMG, nerve conduction studies, laboratory testing, and other diagnostic studies may then help distinguish problems involving the brain, spinal cord, nerve roots, peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction, or muscles. More than one anatomical level may be involved in some conditions.

Vascular neurology focuses on cerebrovascular disorders, including ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral venous thrombosis, and other conditions affecting the brain’s blood vessels. Relevant issues may involve neurological findings, vascular imaging, treatment timing, stroke mechanism, prevention, or long-term neurological deficits.