Pediatric neurology is the care of conditions that may affect your child’s brain, spinal cord, nerves, or muscles. These conditions have a variety of causes, ranging from a genetic basis to traumatic injury. We treat everything from common neurological conditions to rare disorders.

Seizures are one of the most common neurological disorders in children. In some cases, seizures have specific triggers. In others, repeated seizures may be a sign of epilepsy. Our team works together to diagnose the cause of seizures and help manage epilepsy.

If your child makes involuntary sounds or movements, they may be experiencing a tic disorder, such as Tourette syndrome. Your doctor can discuss the latest treatments with you, including medication and therapy.

Our specialists also treat disorders that impact the brain’s white matter, including demyelinating disorders and rarer leukodystrophies. There are more than 50 different leukodystrophies, mostly from inherited genetic changes. 

Sometimes neurologic disease is present at birth (congenital). But it’s also possible for a child to develop a condition as they grow up. Not every neurologic condition has a known cause. Some causes include:

Early diagnosis and treatment are important. For neurological disorders that require lifelong management, early intervention may alleviate the symptoms your child experiences or slow the progression of the disease.

Pediatric neurologists at UC Davis Health use advanced resources to pinpoint neurologic conditions with age-appropriate techniques to put your child at ease. Your first visit will include a physical exam. Your child’s neurologist may also request: 

• Hearing and vision testing
• Blood or urine tests
• Spinal fluid testing (lumbar puncture)
• Brain imaging with a CT scan, MRI, or PET scan
• Genetic testing
• Ultrasound and X-ray
• EEG

Some children with suspected seizures may receive diagnostic evaluation through our pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. This clinic has been nationally certified for providing the highest level of epilepsy care. Children who are admitted to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit stay in the hospital overnight for one or more nights to receive video EEG monitoring as part of their care. 

When you bring your child to UC Davis, you can be assured that your child is getting treatment from one of the top neurology centers in the nation. We can see your child at our convenient locations, close to home, through video visits, and at our dedicated pediatric inpatient ward.

Your child’s treatment may include: 

Not all neurologic diseases are preventable. But several steps can help reduce the chance of your child developing nervous system disorders and make symptoms more manageable: