Main description:

Primary health care providers such as pediatricians and family medicine physicians commonly encounter children with neurologic symptoms such as headache, double vision, facial weakness etc. Most books currently available in the specialty of pediatric neurology are "condition" or "disorder" based, and most of them are geared towards pediatric neurologists, not generalists who take care of children. A common thread amongst most currently available books in Pediatric Neurology is that the practitioner already knows what "condition" or "disorder" the child is suffering from.

This book focuses on symptoms to a large extent. However, children with chronic neurological conditions will follow up with their primary care physicians after their visit with the sub-specialists. They may have questions or ongoing concerns regarding the diagnosis that has been made or being considered. This book attempts to provide information to the primary care physician regarding management and follow up of such children as well. This book serves as a guide for busy clinicians who take care of children presenting with neurological symptoms- with special emphasis on symptoms that are commonly encountered in clinical practice. For each symptom, a brief introduction is given as well as a definition and epidemiologic information for the given symptom. Readers are also instructed on what historical features and physical examinations are essential in narrowing the differential diagnosis. A recommendation on the management of the condition is then established. Instructions on when one should refer the patient to subspecialists for further evaluation and management are clearly laid out. Finally, a list of appropriate resources is provided for families, as well as clinical pearls that can be quickly scanned when one is pressed for time. The overarching goal of this book is to enable the primary care physician to make a confident diagnosis, triage efficiently and initiate treatment if need be.

Written by experts in the field, Symptom-Based Approach to Pediatric Neurology is a valuable resource for evaluation and management of children presenting with neurologic symptoms for primary care providers who take care of children.

Contents:

1. Child with Altered Mental Status (Delirium, Acute Confusional State, Somnolence, Encephalopathy, Coma)

2. Child with Global Developmental Delay

3. Child with Pure Language Delay

4. Child with Suspected Autism

5. Child with New Onset Seizures

6. Child with Epilepsy

7. Child with Syncope

8. Child with Sleep Disturbances

9. Child with Unilateral or Bilateral Vision Loss

10. Child with Diplopia

11. Child with Facial Weakness

12. Child with Facial Numbness

13. Child with Hearing Loss

14. Child with Difficulty Swallowing /Change in Voice

15. Child with Dysarthria

16. Child with New Onset Headache

17. Child with Chronic Headache

18. Child with New Onset Hemiparesis

19. Child with New Onset Paraparesis

20. Child with Tics/Other Unusual Movements

21. Child with Torticollis

22. Child with Macrocephaly

23. Child with Microcephaly

24. Child with Ataxia

25. Child with Closed Head Injury

26. Child with Altered Personality/Mood Disturbances

27. Neonate with Low Tone

28. Child with Acute Muscle Weakness

29. Child with Foot Drop/Wrist Drop

30. Child with Chronic Pain Syndromes

31. Child with Vertigo/Dizziness

32. Child with loss of hearing

33. child with abnormal eye movements

34. Child with Neurocutaneous syndrome

35. Child with cerebral palsy

36. Approach to childhood Neurological Emergencies

A. Status Epilepticus

B. Febrile Status Epilepticus

C. Spinal Cord Injury

D. Worst Headache of My Life

E. Myasthenia Gravis

37. Neurological Complications of Immunizations

39. Child with Suspected Autoimmune Encephalitis

39. Child with Suspected Multiple Sclerosis

40. Child with Suspected Metabolic Disorder with Neurological Presentations

41. Neurological Investigations for the Primary Care Physician -Neuroimaging, EEG, EMG and Spinal Fluid Analysis

42. Commonly Used Drugs in Neurology, Side Effects, Drug Interactions and Monitoring