Pediatric Neurology Departments of Israeli medical centers are known throughout the world for their innovative approaches to diagnostics and treatment of nervous system diseases and high success rate of therapy. Hundreds of little patients from all over the world pass through the caring hands of Israeli neurologists every day. For some of them, this is the only chance for a healthy and pain-free future.

Comprehensive treatment programs used in our department make it possible not only to effectively and completely rid the child of disease, but also to ensure that child’s body as a whole is healthy, adapts to normal life as quickly as possible, and fully develops and grows.

Often childhood neurological diseases are genetic in nature, which is why specialists in this field pay particularly close attention to prenatal (before birth) diagnosis. Special genetic studies are carried out to identify a problem in nervous system of fetus at intrauterine development stage and begin to develop a correction plan even before such a child birth.

Treatment of children with congenital or acquired neurological diseases is very specific and differs significantly from adult neurology. Israeli specialists have extensive successful experience working with young patients, have special psychological techniques and approaches to children, and they successfully use these practices in their daily very important practice.

Another feature of TAMC Pediatric Neurology Department is a multidisciplinary approach to each individual clinical case. That is, medical care for one child, if necessary, can be provided by a whole team of specialists (neurologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation specialists, epileptologists, pediatricians, traumatologists, psychologists, etc.). This approach ensures continuity of medical care in a single institution. That is, patient can receive all the necessary diagnostics, all treatment procedures and rehabilitation measures in one place – in Pediatric Neurology Department of TAMC. This strengthens children’s trust in medical personnel and makes diagnostic and treatment process easier for them physically and psychologically.

Doctor discussing x-ray results with mom and her son all wearing masks due to covid-19

Departments

On the basis of Pediatric Neurology Department at Tel Aviv Medical Clinic, several units and separate clinics operate simultaneously:

General neurology – here neurological patients receive an initial consultation and a full neurological examination, then, depending on diagnosis, child is referred to a specific specialist who deals with this particular problem.
General neurology specialists also provide conservative treatment for the most common nervous system diseases in children.
Epilepsy Treatment Center – specialists of this unit (epileptologists) treat various forms of epilepsy in children. In case of ineffectiveness of traditional conservative treatment, employees practice innovative treatment methods – minimally invasive neurosurgical interventions, implantation of vagus nerve stimulators, etc.
Center for treatment of children with SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) – neurologists of this profile specialize in modern treatment of this rare genetic disease, its diagnosis and family planning in the event of birth of one child with this diagnosis.
Department for neuroinfections treatment – specialists in this profile are engaged in diagnostics and treatment of brain and spinal cord infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis, arachnoiditis).
Diagnostic department – here there is all the necessary equipment for laboratory and instrumental diagnostics of central and peripheral nervous system diseases.
Center for treatment of headaches and migraines in children – specialists in this profile help children to get rid of painful regular headaches.
Clinic of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) – specialists from Pediatric Neurology Department at TAMC provide medical care to children with autism spectrum disorders, various speech disorders, and other intellectual development disorders.
Clinic for treatment and rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy (CP) – neurologists of this profile, together with other specialists, are involved in treatment and rehabilitation of children with various forms of cerebral palsy.

What diseases does Pediatric Neurology Department treat?

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Diagnostic methods in pediatric neurology

Diagnostic programs at TAMC are designed in such a way that results can be obtained in the shortest possible time; as a rule, this stage takes 2-4 days. At the same time, all examinations of young patients are carried out as delicately as possible, taking into account age and individual characteristics of child. If any examination is accompanied by pain, then it is performed under general (and for older children – under local) anesthesia in order to avoid any discomfort and fear.

Most often, following modern and highly informative diagnostic methods are used in clinic of neurological diseases:

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a functional method for studying brain activity, an indispensable assistant in epilepsy diagnostics in children.
Electromyography (EMG) is a functional diagnostic method that allows us to assess the condition of individual muscles, identify a violation of their function or a block at level of command transmission from nerve fibers to muscle fibers.
Doppler ultrasound is a technique for ultrasound visualization of blood vessels and blood flow in them.
Computer (CT), magnetic resonance (MRI) and positron emission (PET) tomography are modern medical imaging methods that allow us to examine in detail all organs and other components of body, and make a 3D or 4D model of desired area.
Functional neuroimaging using fMRI and SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography).
Lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid examination is an invasive procedure performed under anesthesia. Most often used to diagnose neuroinfections.
Various laboratory tests of blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid. Genetic research.
Biopsy of certain areas of muscles, nerve fibers, benign or malignant neoplasms of the nervous system.

If in process of complex diagnostics there is a need to perform a biopsy, then obtained samples for pathohistological examination are sent to the best Israeli pathohistological laboratories to clarify the diagnosis. Thanks to such “molecular tests”, we are 100% confident in correctness of final diagnosis and unconditional success of an individually selected treatment regimen.

Important!

At Tel Aviv Medical Clinic the Pediatric Neurology Department employs doctors and nurses who are trained to provide the highest quality care.

Modern treatment methods in pediatric neurology

In Pediatric Neurology Department at TAMC, neurologists use the entire arsenal of modern conservative and surgical methods for treating various diseases of central and peripheral nervous system.

In practice, children are prescribed only effective and safe medications.

Surgeries are performed when conservative therapy is ineffective, in presence of benign or malignant tumors of central or peripheral nervous system, injuries, strokes and other conditions requiring prompt assistance from neurosurgeons. A feature of surgeries in pediatric neurology is minimally invasiveness, that is, all interventions are performed using minimal surgical approaches and with maximum care so as not to damage the surrounding very delicate nerve structures. For this purpose, robotic surgery, stereotactic intervention techniques and other innovative, high-tech surgical techniques are actively used.

Also, patients of Pediatric Neurology Department have access to progressive treatment methods of neurological diseases, for example, surgical treatment of epilepsy – hemispherectomy, excision of corpus callosum, cerebral palsy – implantation of baclofen pump, botulinum toxin injections, deep stimulation of vagus nerve.

A significant breakthrough in the field of pediatric neurology in recent years has been development of effective etiotropic (affecting the cause) treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This is a rare but very serious genetic disease of nervous system, leading to disability and death in early childhood. Until recently, it was incurable and all children with this pathology were doomed to a slow death. But several years ago, a medicine was developed that can stop progression of this disease and help children restore lost body functions and live, despite of terrible diagnosis.

The drug Spinraza is the first and original drug for gene therapy for SMA. Despite its high effectiveness, availability of such treatment is low because such treatment costs millions of US dollars. Currently, generic drugs (analogues) are being developed, price of which is lower, for example Evrysdi.

Almost always, therapeutic complex for diseases of nervous system in children is supplemented by physiotherapeutic procedures, physical therapy using an individually selected set of physical exercises, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and nutritional recommendations from professional nutritionists. Such an integrated approach to problem is the basis of Israeli-style medicine. It allows us to get the best results in the shortest possible time and help your child, despite his individual needs and characteristics.