Neuroimmunology Clinic
Neuroimmunology Clinic
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Neuroimmunology Clinic provides evidence-based, family-centered clinical care for infants, children and teens with autoimmune disorders that affect the central nervous system, known as neuroimmune disorders. Nationwide Children’s goal is to enhance quality of life for children and their families impacted by these conditions through comprehensive care delivered in a supportive clinical framework.
Nationwide Children's Hospital is ranked by U.S. News & World Report for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
About Us
Neuroimmune disorders can occur in children who are otherwise healthy. Diagnosis and treatment of neuroimmune disorders in children and adolescents require unique approaches. Nationwide Children’s Neuroimmunology Clinic combines advanced pediatric clinical expertise in disorders of the nervous system and the immune system and provides coordinated, same-day care from Neurology, Rheumatology, Psychiatry, Psychology, Neuropsychology and Pharmacy. We work closely with other subspecialty teams within Nationwide Children’s, including Neuro-Ophthalmology, Neuroradiology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy to ensure all of the individual needs of our patients are being met. Nationwide Children’s Hospital has a formal neuroimmunology transition program to prepare teenagers for the eventual transition to adult care.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been designated Partner in MS Care by the National MS Society and is an affiliate center in the US Network of Pediatric MS Centers. Additionally, Nationwide Children’s was awarded designation as one of SRNA’s Centers of Excellence in Rare Neuroimmune Disorders (CERND).
Conditions We Treat
Autoimmune disorders are diseases in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells. Neuroimmune diseases affect the central nervous system. Many types of neuroimmune diseases cause inflammation of the brain or spinal cord. Some of the more common neuroimmune conditions found in children include:
- Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
- Transverse myelitis
- Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve)
- Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disorder (MOG-AD)
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Central nervous system vasculitis
- Neurologic complications of autoinflammatory disease
- Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)
- Autoimmune encephalitis (including anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis)
- Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)
- Neurologic effects of rheumatologic diseases (including neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus and neurosarcoidosis)
Although neuroimmune disorders often affect the white matter of the brain, not all white matter diseases are acquired inflammatory disorders. Leukodystrophies are a group of conditions caused by genetic changes that lead to the destruction or abnormal development of the brain’s white matter, which protects the brain’s nerves. The Leukodystrophy Clinic at Nationwide Children’s is a multidisciplinary clinic that provides comprehensive care for children and their families impacted by genetic white matter diseases.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of a neuroimmune disease usually occurs after a child experiences symptoms. Because there are several neuroimmune diseases, symptoms can vary. They can include:
- Confusion
- Muscle weakness
- Abnormal sensations or sensitivity
- Seizures
- Movement disorders
- Change in communication or language difficulty
- Fatigue
- Vision changes / painful eye movement
When a child experiences symptoms of a neuroimmune disease, several tests can help reach a diagnosis:
- Detailed clinical evaluation
- Neuroimaging, including MRI of the brain and spinal cord
- Blood tests
- Cerebrospinal fluid assessment
At Nationwide Children’s, our specialists’ unique training and collaboration provides a multidisciplinary approach that offers optimal treatment to provide the best outcome for the child.
For all patients affected by neuroimmune diseases, Nationwide Childrens’ Neuroimmunology Clinic provides care to maximize functional abilities and quality of life, including:
- Medications to stop or control the autoimmune process
- Treatment for symptoms, such as medications for seizures, movement disorders and psychiatric symptoms
- Neurocognitive testing
- Psychological assessment and treatment
- Psychiatric assessment and treatment
Nationwide Children’s Hospital is involved in research at our center and in collaboration with others centers across the country to better understand pediatric neuroimmune conditions. Some current areas of research include:
- Neuroimmune registry: A registry of clinical information about Nationwide Children's pediatric neuroimmune patients to help us understand how best to recognize and treat pediatric neuroimmune conditions
- Biorepository: A collection of biofluids at Nationwide Children's such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, and tears to try to identify new biomarkers for earlier diagnosis or new treatment targets for pediatric neuroimmune conditions
- PADS study: A study of novel imaging features and neurocognitive testing in children 8 years and older with demyelinating conditions
- MOGAD neurocognitive study: Comparing neurocognitive performance in children with or without MOGAD seen in the neuroimmunology clinic.
- Quality of life in adults with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis: A survey of adults with multiple sclerosis that started in childhood to understood long-term quality of life with relation to adverse childhood experiences, which are traumatic experiences in childhood
- Social determinants of health: Multicenter collaborations to try to understand how the life and socioeconomic conditions in which pediatric neuroimmune patients are born, live, and grow up can influence clinical outcomes
- Psychosocial screening: Analyzing patient and family reported symptoms related to mental health to better understand who may be at risk for psychological impact of pediatric neuroimmune disorders
- Transition of care: A quality improvement initiative helps implement our formal, 5 phase process of transition of care from pediatric to adult neuroimmunology care
Refer a Patient
Health care providers seeking an urgent referral may call our office at (614) 722-4625.
Health care providers with non-urgent referrals may fax referral information to Central Scheduling at (614) 722-4000. Please specify the referral to “Neuroimmunology Clinic.”
Patients and families may request a referral to the Neuroimmunology Clinic from their primary care provider or specialist. To help speed up the referral process, a patient or family may call our office at (614) 722-4625 to let us know that a referral is being requested.
Resources for Families
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society
- NMOSD & MOGAD | Sumaira Foundation
- Mr. Oscar Monkey
- Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Alliance
- The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation – NMOSD
- The Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association (SRNA)
- The MOG Project – MOGAD
- Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance
- The Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis Foundation – NMDA-R encephalitis in multiple languages