Headache
Parents are accustomed to taking their children to several physicians, from eye specialists to allergy doctors, before finding effective headache treatment. Proper diagnosis is often delayed and children given unnecessary treatments. Migraine headaches are as common in children as in adults, and the Monroe Carell, Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is one of few places where children with recurring headaches can be diagnosed quickly and treated comprehensively. Other common headaches of childhood are caused by caffeine, over-use of common analgesics, stress, and increased pressure in the brain. 

Epilepsy
Dr. Pina-Garza is currently leading an international pharmaceutical study on epilepsy. This study mainly involves drugs that are currently used in adults but not approved for use in children. The pediatric neurology clinic is the only regional facility that provides a complete spectrum of treatment options: drugs, vagal nerve stimulator, ketogenic diet, and surgery. For more information about epilepsy, visit the American Epilepsy Society's Web page at www.aesnet.org.

Neuromuscular Disorders
The neuromuscular clinic is sponsored by the Muscular Dystrophy Association and provides comprehensive care for children with muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, peripheral neuropathies, and spinal muscular atrophies. Clinic staffing includes physician specialists, physical therapists, speech therapists, nutritionists, and equipment specialists.