Your Child's Brain

About 1% of all children in the U.S. have multiple significant and chronic health problems, or what’s known as “medical complexity.” Kennedy Krieger happens to be a leading treatment center for children whose medical complexities affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, or muscles. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Melicosta, associate chief medical officer, explains what medical complexity is. Listeners also meet Eleftheria Tzortzakaki, the mother of a young patient with acute flaccid myelitis, a condition that is both rare and complex. As always, Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO, serves as host.

Listen in as our host, Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, talks with neurologist Dr. Connie Smith-Hicks, an expert on SYNGAP1-related disorder. They discuss this diagnosis as well as ground-breaking, collaborative research into this rare disease and brain function.

February is Rare Disease Month, a time to shine a bright light on the work that goes into identifying, treating, and, ultimately, finding the cures for rare diseases. Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, as he discusses research around rare disease with Dr. Jacqueline Harris, a pediatric neurologist and an international leader in the study of Kabuki syndrome. Also on the show is Kimberly Maxfield, who shares her perspective as the parent of Noah, a preschooler with Kabuki syndrome.

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is disrupted—either because a blood vessel gets blocked or because it breaks and causes bleeding. Many people think strokes only happen to adults, but children—even newborns—can have strokes too. Unfortunately, awareness is low, and strokes in kids are often misdiagnosed, which can lead to dangerous delays in treatment. Just like in adults, recognizing the signs quickly can make a big difference in recovery and outcomes for kids. Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute, along with Drs. Ryan Felling, Laura Malone, and Richard Boada, as they talk about what families need to know about strokes in children.

Raising a child with a disability is a journey marked by love, resilience, and hope,but it also brings complex challenges that can feel overwhelming. Parents are navigating unfamiliar systems, advocating fiercely for services, and making critical decisions,all without a roadmap. We are pleased to provide families with a new resource and roadmap. Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute and his guests Dr. Mary Leppert and Maureen van Stone, as they discuss the Maryland Guide for Families of Children with Disabilities.

Early childhood is an important stage of life for brain development. As a child learns new information, engages in social interaction, and goes through their daily routine, their brain responds with neuroplasticity, a process that allows it to change, adapt, and reorganize. Listen to Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute and his guests, Drs. Joanna Burton and Gwendolyn Gerner, as they discuss neuroplasticity in early childhood and its role in brain development and learning.

For children, social interaction isn’t just play—it’s brain-building. When children connect, share, and empathize, they are also strengthening the neural pathways that shape emotional intelligence, communication, cooperation, and lifelong learning. Join Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute and his guests Drs. Maya Opendak and Tomomi Karigo as they discuss the development of our brains’ neural systems for social and emotional behavior, and the factors that can interrupt that development.

Parenting is one of the most important jobs—but most parents don’t get formal training. Many rely on what they learned growing up and figure things out along the way. While that works for some, others may struggle—especially when faced with challenging behaviors or uncertainty about how to support their child. Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, along with Dr. Debbie Gross and Amie Bettencourt, as they explore the Chicago Parent Program—a proven, innovative approach that helps parents build skills and support their children’s mental health and well-being.

As students get ready to go back to school soon, Kennedy Krieger President and CEO Dr. Brad Schlaggar and his guest, Dr. Nancy Grasmick, former superintendent of schools for the state of Maryland, discuss educating students with neurodevelopmental concerns, the importance of training teachers to meet the needs of those students and what can be done to improve the educational outcomes of all students.

In this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain Dr. Brad Schlaggar, President and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute, is joined by Jim Schmutz and Abby DiGilio from Special Olympics Maryland to discuss the power of sports and how participation in sports enables individuals with developmental disabilities to shatter stereotypes and succeed, not only on the playing field, but also in life.

What do we know about the health benefits of exercise and other physical activity for children? We know it builds strong muscles and bones, helps keep children at a healthy weight, and can contribute to better sleep. But wait—can regular exercise boost a child’s brain power? Find out when Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, and his guest Dr. Autumn Ivy discuss the fascinating connection between physical activity and brain development in children.

We are in the midst of an unprecedented mental health crisis in this country that has especially impacted children. According to experts, an estimated one in five youth has an undiagnosed mental, emotional or behavioral disorder—yet many do not get the help they need. May is known as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month and in this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain, Dr. Brad Schlaggar is joined by Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King to discuss the impact that traumatic stress can have on a child’s social and cognitive development, academic performance and overall well-being.

April is known internationally as Autism Acceptance Month, providing an opportunity to think about and deepen our understanding of the complexities of this neurodevelopmental diagnosis and the varied lived experiences of people who have been diagnosed with autism. Over the decades since autism was first described, there have been there have been significant changes not only in how we diagnose autism, but also in our understanding of autism and its causes. To share this conversation during Autism Acceptance Month with Dr. Brad Schlaggar, President and CEO of Kennedy Krieger is his guest: Dr. Rebecca Landa, Founder and executive director of the Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation.

This month marks five years since much of the United States was under a state of emergency due to the infectious disease COVID-19 and the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV-2. Thankfully, primarily due to vastly improved immunity resulting from vaccines and natural immunity, the mortality of COVID-19 has dropped significantly. But one of the most challenging consequences of the infection is the condition we refer to now as long COVID, a disabling legacy of the pandemic and the focus of this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain- especially as it relates to children. Listen to Dr. Brad Schlaggar and his guest, Dr. Laura Malone, as they discuss what we have learned in the past five years and what is on the future for treating children with this condition.

February is Rare Disease Month---a month-long focus on rare diseases, culminating on rare disease day, February 28th. Currently more than 7,000 rare diseases have been identified with a significant proportion of them involving the developing brain and nervous system.

Discover how neuropsychologists help children overcome cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Dr. Brad Schlaggar and experts from Kennedy Krieger discuss the benefits of evaluations, joined by a parent sharing their experience.

<p>Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurologic disorders seen in children and adults, in fact, 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy during their lifetime. It can occur on its own or alongside other health conditions of the brain.</p> <p>Despite it being relatively common, there are many myths, misunderstandings---as well as a great deal of stigma associated with epilepsy. Join Kennedy Krieger’s CEO Dr. Brad Schlaggar and his colleagues from the Institute and Johns Hopkins as they address those topics, as well as approaches to diagnosis and treatment, and what research holds in store for pediatric patients with epilepsy.</p> <p>Resources Kennedy Krieger epilepsy resources <a href="https://www.kennedykrieger.org/epilepsy-services-at-kennedy-krieger-institute/epilepsy-resources">https://www.kennedykrieger.org/epilepsy-services-at-kennedy-krieger-institute/epilepsy-resources</a></p> <p>Epilepsy Foundation <a href="https://www.epilepsy.com/">https://www.epilepsy.com/</a></p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

<p>We humans, typically, have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, we have an extra chromosome or we are missing one. Down syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder that occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of their 21st chromosome. Down syndrome is the most frequent of the chromosomal disorders in humans, occurring in approximately 1 in 700 births in the US. With improved care of often life-threatening clinical challenges, individuals with Down syndrome are living much longer.</p> <p>In this month’s podcast of Your Child’s Brain we are going to talk about Down Syndrome and especially focus on how the increased lifespan of those with Down syndrome is impacting treatment and research for people living with this diagnosis.</p> <p> </p> <p>Resources</p> <p>· Down Syndrome Association of Maryland (dsamd.org)</p> <p>· National Down Syndrome Society (ndss.org)</p> <p>· National Down Syndrome Congress (ndsccenter.org)</p> <p>· Global Down Syndrome Foundation (https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org)</p> <p>· LuMind IDSC Foundation (https://lumindidsc.org)</p> <p>· NIH – research plan across the LifeSpan - Project INCLUDE for co-occurring medical conditions (www.nih.gov/include-project)</p> <p>· Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (nih.gov)</p> <p>· National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices - Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Resources | The NTG (the-ntg.org)</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>

<p>How does experience and one’s environment influence the early development of our brains? We’ve known for a long time that this question does not simply boil down to “Nature” vs “”nurture”, a false dichotomy. Instead, brain development might best be thought of as a cascading interaction between nature and nurture that unfolds over time. Twenty five years ago, the National Academy of Sciences published a landmark report called From Neurons to Neighborhoods which dove deep into this question. </p> <p>In this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain, join Dr. Brad Schlaggar and his guests.as they reflect on this influential report and discuss how early experiences, environments and exposures influence the developing brain early experiences, environments and exposures influence the developing brain.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>