Paediatric neurology, also called child neurology or neuropaediatrics, is the specialty for disorders of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles from birth to adolescence. A child's nervous system is still developing, so both the diseases and their treatment differ from adult practice.
Common reasons for referral are seizures, headaches, delayed development and unusual movements. Many childhood conditions are benign or outgrown, and part of the specialist's role is giving reassurance without over-investigating.
Conditions this service looks after
- Epilepsy and febrile seizures
- Developmental delay and regression
- Cerebral palsy
- Headache and migraine
- Tics and movement disorders
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Autism and ADHD when neurological questions arise
- Neurogenetic and metabolic conditions
- Large or small head size and hydrocephalus
- Neurocutaneous syndromes such as neurofibromatosis and tuberous sclerosis
Tests you may be offered
- History, developmental assessment and examination: Including growth charts and videos of events taken by the family.
- EEG, including sleep and video EEG: For suspected seizures.
- MRI brain: With sedation or anaesthesia in young children.
- Genetic testing: Microarray, gene panels or exome sequencing for developmental delay and early epilepsy.
- Metabolic screening: Blood and urine tests for treatable inborn errors.
- Hearing and vision assessment: Frequently relevant in developmental delay.
Treatments available
- Anti-seizure medication: Chosen by epilepsy syndrome, not by seizure alone.
- Ketogenic diet: A medically supervised diet for drug-resistant epilepsy.
- Epilepsy surgery evaluation: For focal epilepsy that does not respond to two medications.
- Spasticity management: Physiotherapy, botulinum toxin, orthoses and, in selected children, selective dorsal rhizotomy or orthopaedic surgery.
- Headache management: Lifestyle measures, acute treatment and prevention.
- Early intervention therapies: Physiotherapy, speech and occupational therapy with educational support.
When to ask for a specialist opinion
- A first seizure or repeated unexplained episodes
- Missed milestones, or loss of skills already acquired
- Frequent headaches or headaches that wake the child
- Weakness, clumsiness or a change in walking
- A head size crossing centile lines
Travelling to Türkiye for this care
A visit can provide a second opinion, EEG monitoring, MRI, genetic work-up or an epilepsy surgery assessment within about a week. Chronic conditions need regular review by a paediatrician who knows your child, and medicine formulations and doses must be obtainable at home. Bring vaccination records, earlier EEGs and MRI discs. An acutely unwell child, a prolonged seizure or a sudden loss of skills needs emergency care locally.
Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
Does one seizure mean my child has epilepsy?
No. Many children have a single seizure and never another. Epilepsy is diagnosed after two unprovoked seizures or when tests indicate a high chance of recurrence.
Are stem cell treatments for cerebral palsy or autism worthwhile?
No reliable evidence supports them, and they carry risks. Reputable paediatric neurologists do not recommend them outside clinical trials.
Will my child grow out of epilepsy?
Many do. Several childhood epilepsy syndromes remit by adolescence, and medication can often be withdrawn after about 2 seizure-free years.