When a Pediatric Brain Surgeon is the Right Doctor for Your Child

Becoming a pediatric brain surgeon takes a great deal of effort because we are intimately aware of the small nature of a child’s brain, and the importance of having highly trained professionals to deal with issues that require brain surgery in a child. A pediatric brain surgeon, also known as a pediatric neurosurgeon, is someone who devotes his or her practice to the neurosurgical care of children specifically.

Intensive training

After graduating from medical school, a pediatric brain surgeon spends the next six or seven years in an additional training program specifically dedicated to neurosurgery. After completing this program, a pediatric brain surgeon must then complete an additional accredited one-year fellowship program in pediatric neurosurgery.

The intensive training routine makes it so that there are less than 200 board-certified pediatric brain surgeons currently practicing in the United States. The scope of our practice concentrates on special surgical problems of children that involve the brain, spine or any of the peripheral nerves. In our care, we often treat infants, children, and even adolescents. One area that is extremely traumatic for parents who are expecting a child, is when they discover that a child is going to have a neurological problem even before birth.

In cases like this, a seasoned pediatric brain surgeon can work with the parents to assure them, counsel them and give them a road away from fear toward hope. If a patient has a child that requires neurosurgery or is expecting a child that has been diagnosed with brain issues, we recommend visiting with a pediatric neurosurgeon in our office to discuss treatment options.

It takes a professional

Even with all this training, pediatric brain surgeons rely heavily on the professional team we surround ourselves with to make sure that the child gets the best treatment possible. For example, one of the most common ailments that we treat with children’s brain surgery involves brain tumors. A child with a brain tumor is going to be cared for by a board-certified fellowship-trained pediatric brain surgeon who works in conjunction with a neuroradiologist, an oncologist, and a radiation oncologist. The child will also work with a strong team of physicians, nurses and hospital staff who all have pediatric specialties. Parents can be rest assured that not only are they going to get the best pediatric brain surgeon, but they are also going to have their child surrounded by a team that will work with them every step of the way.

This all-embracing team approach starts from the minute a child receives an initial diagnosis, continues through treatment and on until the child has recovered. This holistic approach springs from the fact that we understand that dealing with the trauma of having a child who needs brain surgery is going to take the right people on the job. Thus, we have comprised a complete group of people to make sure that the child receives the best treatment and that the child gets the necessary support along the way.

While surgery is the first step in recovery for a child diagnosed with a brain tumor, there are many more steps that will follow the initial treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation may also be necessary, which is why it is good for you to meet, know, and trust the entire team.