Choosing a Pediatric Neurologist in NYC: A Resource for Parents

Why Your Child May Need a Pediatric Neurologist

Your child may need to see a pediatric neurologist if they have:

• Cerebral palsy: Motor disability from brain damage — requiring neurological evaluation and management. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/new-york]
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): Brain damage from oxygen deprivation at birth — requiring neurological evaluation. [Link to: /medical-malpractice/hie-claims]
• Seizures or epilepsy: Including neonatal seizures, infantile spasms, and other seizure disorders. [Link to: /birth-injury/neonatal-stroke-lawyer]
• Developmental delays: Delayed motor milestones (sitting, crawling, walking), speech delays, or cognitive delays.
• Muscle tone abnormalities: Hypertonia (stiff muscles), hypotonia (floppy muscles), or asymmetrical tone.
• Abnormal movements: Involuntary movements, tremors, tics, or chorea.
• Brain malformations or injuries: Including periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), or other brain abnormalities identified on imaging. [Link to: /birth-injury/pvl-lawyer] [Link to: /birth-injury/ivh-lawsuit]
• Neurological complications of prematurity: Premature infants are at higher risk for neurological complications. [Link to: /brain-injury/pediatric]

What Does a Pediatric Neurologist Do?

A pediatric neurologist provides comprehensive neurological care for children:

• Diagnosis: Evaluating the child's neurological condition — through clinical examination, brain imaging (MRI, CT), EEG (electroencephalogram for seizures), and other diagnostic tests. [Link to: /radiology-errors/mri-malpractice]
• Treatment: Developing and implementing treatment plans — including medications (anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants), therapy recommendations, and surgical referrals when needed.
• Long-term management: Monitoring the child's neurological development over time — adjusting treatment plans as the child grows and develops.
• Coordination of care: Working with other specialists — including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, orthopedic surgeons, and developmental specialists.
• Family support and education: Helping families understand the child's condition, prognosis, and treatment options.
• Expert testimony: In birth injury legal cases, pediatric neurologists may provide expert testimony on causation, standard of care, and the child's future care needs. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/medical-experts]

How to Find the Best Pediatric Neurologist in NYC

When choosing a pediatric neurologist in New York City, consider:

• Board certification: The neurologist should be board-certified in Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN).
• Experience with birth injuries: The neurologist should have specific experience with birth injuries — including cerebral palsy, HIE, seizures, and developmental delays.
• Hospital affiliation: The neurologist should be affiliated with a major NYC hospital with pediatric neurology services — such as NewYork-Presbyterian, NYU Langone, Mount Sinai, or Cohen Children's Medical Center.
• Subspecialty expertise: Depending on the child's condition, you may want a neurologist with subspecialty expertise — e.g., in epilepsy, movement disorders, or neonatal neurology.
• Communication style: The neurologist should communicate clearly and compassionately — and be willing to answer your questions and address your concerns.
• Availability: The neurologist should be available for appointments in a reasonable timeframe — and for urgent concerns.
• Insurance: Verify that the neurologist accepts your insurance.
• Referrals: Ask your pediatrician, obstetrician, or other parents for referrals.

Major NYC Pediatric Neurology Programs

New York City has several world-class pediatric neurology programs:

• NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center: The Department of Neurology at Columbia has a renowned pediatric neurology program — with expertise in epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and neonatal neurology. [Link to: /hospital-negligence/suing-new-york-presbyterian]
• NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center: Weill Cornell has a comprehensive pediatric neurology program — with subspecialty expertise in epilepsy, movement disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• NYU Langone Health (Hassenfeld Children's Hospital): NYU Langone has a comprehensive pediatric neurology program — with expertise in epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and neonatal neurology. [Link to: /hospital-negligence/suing-nyu-langone]
• Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital: Mount Sinai has a pediatric neurology program — with subspecialty expertise in epilepsy, movement disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders. [Link to: /surgical-errors/suing-mount-sinai]
• Cohen Children's Medical Center (Northwell Health): Cohen Children's (at Long Island Jewish Medical Center) has one of the largest pediatric neurology programs in the region. [Link to: /hospital-negligence/suing-northwell]
• NYC Health + Hospitals facilities: Municipal hospitals — including Bellevue and Kings County — have pediatric neurology services. [Link to: /hospital-negligence/suing-nyc-h-h]

Questions to Ask at Your First Appointment

When meeting with a pediatric neurologist for the first time, consider asking:

• What is your experience treating children with my child's condition?
• What tests do you recommend — and what will they tell us?
• What is your diagnosis — and what is the basis for it?
• What is the prognosis — and what can we expect as the child grows?
• What treatment options are available — and what are the benefits and risks?
• What therapies (physical, occupational, speech) do you recommend?
• How often will we need follow-up appointments?
• What signs or symptoms should prompt us to call you or go to the ER?
• Are there any clinical trials or research studies that might be appropriate?
• Can you provide documentation of the diagnosis and treatment plan — for our records or for legal purposes?

The Role of a Pediatric Neurologist in Birth Injury Cases

In birth injury legal cases, pediatric neurologists play several important roles:

• Establishing causation: Expert testimony on whether the child's brain damage was caused by birth hypoxia — vs. a birth defect or prenatal factor. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/birth-defect-vs-injury]
• Reviewing brain imaging: Expert interpretation of MRI and CT scans — to identify patterns consistent with HIE, PVL, IVH, or other birth injuries. [Link to: /radiology-errors/mri-malpractice] [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/hie-and-cerebral-palsy]
• Assessing severity and prognosis: Expert testimony on the severity of the child's neurological impairment — and the expected prognosis and future care needs. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/medical-experts]
• Life care planning: Input into the child's life care plan — projecting future medical, therapy, and care needs. [Link to: /birth-injury/life-care-planner]
• Expert testimony at trial: Explaining complex neurological concepts to the jury in plain language. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/medical-experts]

Frequently Asked Questions

The value of a medical malpractice case in New York depends on several factors, including the severity of the injury, the strength of liability evidence, and the economic and non-economic damages involved. New York is one of the few states with no caps on medical malpractice damages, meaning there is no artificial limit on what you can recover. Below are typical settlement ranges based on injury severity.