Your Child's Brain WYPR Baltimore

In the United States alone, there are nearly 20 million children with developmental, cognitive, behavioral, and/or learning disorders. It is widely recognized that the needs of children with these issues are growing in number and complexity while, at the same time, a critical shortage of access to physician specialists is resulting in delayed diagnoses, longer wait times for treatment and, consequently, poorer outcomes.  On this month’s episode, Kennedy Krieger president and CEO, Dr. Brad Schlaggar is joined by colleagues Dr. Miya Asato, a pediatric neurologist and Dr. Mary Leppert, a developmental pediatrician to discuss the critical shortage and what is being done to address it and more importantly, what parents can do.
Resources:
Center for Disease Control – Concerned about Your Child’s Development https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/concerned.html
Learn the Signs – Act Early https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html
Milestone Tracker App https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones-app.html
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On this month’s episode, we are going to discuss Functional Neurological Disorders or FND.  Patients with this disorder are often stigmatized and, unfortunately, criticized for seemingly faking a disorder.  The reality is that the symptoms of functional neurological disorders are real, can cause significant morbidity, but, thankfully, can most often be remedied by prompt identification, education, and appropriate treatment. Kennedy Krieger president and CEO, Dr. Brad Schlaggar is joined by Dr. Souraya Torbey, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in the Center for Developmental Behavioral Health and the director of the FND Clinic at Kennedy Krieger and Dr. Caitlin Thompson is a staff clinical psychologist in the FND Clinic.  They are also joined by a parent of a child diagnosed with FND. Together the group will delve into FND and its impact not only on the individual but the entire family system.
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May is Children’s Mental Health Awareness month and as part of that recognition, join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger and his guest Dr. Matt Edelstein, director of the Brief Treatment Clinic at the Institute, as they discuss challenging behaviors in children and how those behaviors can have a cascading impact at multiple levels of a family system.
For the child, such behaviors can impede social, emotional, and academic functioning. For caregivers, they can influence stress, mood, feelings of confidence, and even undermine a sense of parental competence. Aggressive behaviors can cause injury.
Finally, for the family as a whole, challenging behaviors can tax relationships and have negative repercussions both within and beyond the walls of the household.
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April is known internationally as Autism Acceptance Month. As part of that recognition, join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger and his guests Drs. Amy Keefer and Roma Vasa from the Center for Autism, Services, Science and Innovation, to discuss the anxiety disorders common in individuals with autism and discuss why this population may be particularly vulnerable to the comorbid symptoms of anxiety, as well as treatment options and research being done in this field.
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On this month’s episode Kennedy Krieger President and CEO, Dr. Brad Schlaggar is joined by Dr. Janet Lam, a pediatric neurologist and an expert in sleep medicine and the director of the Sleep Disorders Clinic and Laboratory at Kennedy Krieger. The two will delve into sleep disorders in children, especially for those with neurodevelopmental conditions. 
Resources
Kennedy Krieger Sleep Disorders Clinic and Lab
About Sleep Disorders
National Sleep Foundation
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There are over 7000 identified rare diseases that impact over 300 million people worldwide. And a disproportionate number of those rare diseases affect the developing brain and nervous system. Having any given rare disease is indeed rare. But having a rare disease is, in fact common. February, is rare disease awareness month and the last day of February is recognized internationally as Rare Disease Day.  For this month’s episode, Dr. Brad Schlaggar, pediatric neurologist, and president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute is joined by Dr. Anne Comi, a pediatric neurologist, to discuss a specific rare disease and some potentially very promising progress in its treatment. Additionally, we will hear from Megan Lewis, mother of Tucker, who shares some insights of their journey with a rare disease. 
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