About the Department of Pediatric Neurology at Academic Hospital of the University of Bonn Mechernich

The Department of Pediatric Neurology at the Academic Hospital of the University of Bonn Mechernich provides comprehensive medical care for young patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. The department began its work in 2008 and today enjoys the status of one of the leading medical facilities of this profile in Germany. The department has excellent diagnostic capabilities for a complete neurological examination of the child. The pride of the facility is a modern laboratory for electroencephalography, where both a classical version of the test and innovative computerized EEG with video monitoring in a state of wakefulness and sleep are available. The department also offers computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), echoencephalography, neurosonography, and ultrasound duplex scanning of the cerebral vessels. The central place in the clinical practice of the department is given to the medical care of young patients with epilepsy, chronic headache, movement disorders (tic disorders, Tourette's syndrome, dystonia, tremor, chorea, ataxia, and others), neuromuscular diseases (cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and others), cerebrovascular accidents, malformations of the brain and spinal cord, and traumatic brain injuries. Children with urgent neurological conditions receive the necessary treatment in a specialized intensive care unit. The specialists of the department strictly follow the current clinical protocols and recommendations of the Society for Neuropediatrics (GNP). The Head Physician of the department is Dr. med. Herbert Schade.

One of the most common neurological disorders in children is epilepsy, a chronic disease of the brain. Its main manifestations are spontaneous epileptic seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The department's team of pediatric neurologists treats young patients with all types of epilepsy: generalized, focal, symptomatic, idiopathic, rolandic, and cryptogenic. Against the background of epilepsy, the child periodically experiences seizures of varying intensity, ranging from a weak, barely noticeable repeated contraction of muscles, to a full-blown seizure with involuntary motor activity of the limbs and the whole body, foaming from the mouth, and loss of consciousness. Seizures almost always occur spontaneously; in rare cases, there may be some provoking factors. The diagnosis of epilepsy is made on the basis of the results of a comprehensive examination, during which the specialists of the department perform electroencephalography of the brain, CT and/or MRI of the brain, electrocardiography to assess heart function, and laboratory blood and urine tests for a general assessment of the child's condition. An integral part of the diagnostic process is an assessment of the child's neurological status, a study of his or her medical history, and a thorough analysis of the frequency of epileptic seizures and the severity of symptoms during these seizures.

If the diagnosis is confirmed, the next step is to develop a personalized treatment plan for the child in order to achieve a complete cessation of epileptic seizures or at least a maximum reduction in their frequency and intensity. Therapy is based on the use of anticonvulsants, with the optimal drug for the child (in some cases, a combination of drugs is required) being selected solely on an individual basis by the attending physician. Strict adherence to the regimen and dosage of the drug prescribed by the specialist plays a very important role in the success of the treatment. If clinically indicated, drug therapy is supplemented with a ketogenic diet, which involves eating foods with an increased amount of fat, a reduced amount of carbohydrates, and a moderate amount of protein. In rare cases, the child may be prescribed surgery, for example, if the focus of epileptiform activity is a brain neoplasm.

The department's specialists also have exceptional expertise in caring for young patients with neuromuscular diseases such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and myasthenia. All of these conditions cause severe symptoms, including muscle hypotonia (low muscle tone), muscle weakness, muscle pain, limited mobility, and gait abnormalities. Unfortunately, to date there are no methods that can guarantee a complete cure for a child with neuromuscular pathology, so all treatment measures are aimed at relieving symptoms, slowing the progression of the disease, and providing the child with a reasonable quality of life. When developing a treatment plan for a young patient, the doctors of the department take into account the specific diagnosis, the stage of the disease, and the neurological status of the child. During the therapeutic process, various types of treatment are combined: drug therapy, wearing of special corsets and orthoses, physiotherapy procedures, exercise therapy, massage, and diet therapy. Young patients with neuromuscular diseases receive effective treatment and comprehensive care based on many years of experience and in-depth knowledge of pediatric neurology.

The department also regularly consults children and adolescents with chronic headaches, movement disorders, neuralgia, inflammatory diseases of the brain, behavioral disorders, mental retardation, and other neurological disorders. The doctors of the healthcare facility select the optimal set of diagnostic measures for each patient, based on the results of which they develop the most effective treatment plan, focusing on the standards of the Society for Neuropediatrics (GNP).

The department specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the following neurological diseases in children and adolescents:

• Epilepsy
• Chronic headaches
• Movement disorders
  • Tic disorders
  • Tourette's syndrome
  • Dystonia
  • Tremor
  • Chorea
  • Ataxia
• Neuromuscular diseases
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Spinal muscular atrophy
  • Myotonic dystrophy
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
• Cerebrovascular accidents
• Stroke
• Brain and spinal cord malformations
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Neuralgia
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Autism
• Mental retardation
• Inflammatory diseases of the brain
  • Meningitis
  • Encephalitis
• Other neurological disorders

The range of diagnostic and therapeutic services provided by the department includes the following:

• Diagnostics
  • Classical electroencephalography
  • Innovative computerized electroencephalography with video monitoring in the state of wakefulness and sleep
  • Computed tomography (CT)
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Echoencephalography
  • Neurosonography
  • Ultrasound duplex scanning of the cerebral vessels
• Treatment
  • Drug therapy: tablet medications, injections, and infusions
  • Physiotherapy procedures
  • Exercise therapy
  • Massage
  • Intensive care
• Other medical services