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Neurology (Paediatrics)

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Addenbrooke’s Hospital is the designated regional hub for the paediatric tertiary neurology service in the East of England.

About us

We are a team of consultant paediatric neurologists who deliver expert & specialist care for children with acute neurological disorders. We provide an inpatient service during the working hours of the week and a 7 day out of hours telephone advice service for all DGH’s across the Eastern region.

As a team, we work closely & collaboratively with our colleagues across other services at Addenbrooke’s hospital, including, the paediatric intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, genomics centre, respiratory/ long term ventilation, gastroenterology and several different surgical specialities – all of which deliver exceptional evidenced-based care.

We offer are a large number of specialist tertiary clinics such as complex epilepsy, ketogenic diet and VNS (vagal nerve stimulator), neuro-immunology, neuromuscular disorders, neonatal neurology, microcephaly, movement disorders, brain injury, complex headache, and intracranial hypertension. We also have an established video telemetry service which allows us to monitor your attacks and therefore provide a more accurate diagnosis.

Addenbrooke’s has an established adult neurology service which means we can ensure a smooth transition to adulthood for complex patients via specialist transitional clinics.

Addenbrooke’s is a busy training centre there are often several trainee children’s neurologists working with us, as well as medical students who join us for SSC/ SSE’s. Clinics are frequently attended by trainee doctors wanting to gain exposure to paediatric neurology or preparing for membership exams.

We review children referred by local secondary level paediatrician based in their district general hospital (if you live near Cambridge the secondary level paediatrician may be an Addenbrooke’s based colleague). We will advise you and your local paediatrician on how to manage this whilst ensuring that the care is delivered within your local hospital or close to home. To assist this, we run a large number of neurology clinics in outreach centres across the entire region. Clinics often occur every 3 months and are coordinated by the local paediatrician who leads the support of children with epilepsy and coordinates neurology assessment.

The Eastern paediatric neurology team work closely with other regions to optimise care both following and developing national pathways. Here at Cambridge, we work closely with London centres including Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Evelina Children’s hospital.

Conditions we treat

  • Epilepsy
  • Neuromuscular disorders
  • Central nervous system infections and inflammation
    • Acute infections like meningitis, encephalitis
    • Neuro-immunological disorders including Multiple sclerosis
  • Trauma to the central nervous system
    • Spinal cord injuries
    • Head injuries
  • Neurocutaneous syndromes
  • Movement disorders
  • Headache and migraine
  • Neurovascular disorders
  • Neuropsychiatric disorders
  • Complex neurodevelopmental disorders (for diagnostic evaluation)
  • CSF disorders

Specialist Paediatric Neurology Services

  • Complex Epilepsy services KD, VNS
  • Neuromuscular
  • NeuroImmunology / MS
  • Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) / Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
  • CSF disorders
  • Tuberous Sclerosis service
  • Neurogenetics service
  • Mitochondrial Service
  • Transition

Referral information

We accept children and YP referred by their local secondary level paediatrician based in their district general hospital (if you live near Cambridge secondary level care may be an Addenbrooke’s based colleague within the acute general paediatric team.

For professional use only, external queries contact switchboard on 01223 245151 and select bleep required

Registrar Bleep: 157-488 (09.00 - 16.00)

SHO Bleep: 154-609 (09.00 - 16.00)

*Consultant on call can be contacted through switch for Urgent queries.

For a new patient appointment, a child's paediatrician can arrange an initial appointment by sending a detailed referral letter to the department. Urgent referrals can be discussed by contacting the Consultant on call for that week (Tuesday –Tuesday) via switch Consultant to Consultant call only alternatively bleep the paediatric registrar for advice.

Referral email address:

Meet the team

Paediatric neurology consultants

Dr Alasdair Parker

Paediatric Neurology Consultant. Specialist Interests:

  • Complex Epilepsy - Video telemetry (VT), Service lead
  • Ketogenic Dietary Therapy (KDT),
  • Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
  • Tuberous Sclerosis
  • Neurogenetics

Dr Anna Maw

Paediatric Neurology Consultant and Clinical Director for Paediatrics (CD). Specialist Interests:

  • Complex Epilepsy
  • Ketogenic Dietary Therapy (KDT)
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
  • Assessment for referral to epilepsy surgery
  • Lead clinician for major trauma rehabilitation for children and for acquired brain injury of other causes.
    • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
    • Neurorehabilitation

Dr Manali Chitre

Paediatric Neurology Consultant. Specialist Interests:

  • Complex Epilepsy
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), Service lead
  • Ketogenic Dietary Therapy (KDT)
  • Neuroimmunology (NI), Service lead
  • Neonatal Neurology

Dr Deepa Krishnakumar

Paediatric Neurology Consultant. Specialist Interests:

  • Neuromuscular
  • Mitochondrial, Service lead
  • CSF disorders/ IIH, Service lead
  • Complex Epilepsy
  • Research lead
  • Trainee lead

Dr Gautam Ambegaonkar

Paediatric Neurology Consultant and Departmental lead. Specialist Interests:

  • Neuromuscular , Service Lead
  • Neuroimmunology
  • Complex Headache disorders, Service Lead and national chair
  • Complex Epilepsy
  • Tics and Tourette's
  • Movement disorders

Dr Pooja Harijan

Paediatric Neurology Consultant. Specialist Interests:

  • Complex Epilepsy
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
  • Ketogenic Dietary Therapy (KDT)
  • CSF disorders
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
  • Departmental lead for Teaching / Academics
  • Research Active
Paediatric epilepsy

Zoya Dowd

Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist Tertiary Level Epilepsy Care. Specialist Interests:

  • Complex Epilepsy
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
  • Ketogenic Dietary Therapy (KDT)

Janet Hill

Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist. Specialist Interests:

  • Epilepsy
  • Video telemetry Co coordinator
Paediatric Neuromuscular / Mitochondrial

Katrina Cousins

Paediatric Neuromuscular Nurse Specialist. Specialist Interests:

  • Neuromuscular
  • Neurogenetics
Paediatric Neurology

Sharon Whyte

Paediatric Neurology Nurse Specialist. Specialist Interests:

  • General Neurology
  • Neuroimmunology / MS
  • Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Angie Curtis

Complex Discharge Planning (Well Child). Specialist Interests:

  • Complex discharge planning
Paediatric Neurology / CDC Reception

Variable due to staff rotations.

New Appointments - Booking Coordinator

Himani Mehta

Booking coordinator

Telephone: 01223 216662

Paediatric Neurology Medical Secretary Team

Kay Lilley

Medical Secretary

Telephone: 01223 216939

Secretary to Dr Parker, Dr Chitre, Dr Maw, Dr Pooja Harijan & Neurology Nurses

Diane Perry

Medical Secretary

Telephone: 01223 274250

Secretary to Dr Krishnakumar, Dr Ambegaonkar, Dr Sansome (neuromuscular clinic CUH) Paediatric neurology Registrars & Katrina Cousins CNS Neuromuscular

Sue Cracknell

Medical Secretary

Telephone: 01223 274390

Secretary to Community Paediatricians - Dr Taylor, Dr Sansome (CCS & CUH), Dr Burton, and Community Registrars.

Julie Plaza

Outreach clinic coordinator

Telephone: 01223 586744

Hospital play therapist

Angela Musaid

Hospital Play therapist for the CDC & Weston Centre

Therapy team

Rowena Dizon-Magpantay

Children’s Occupational Therapist. Specialist Interests:

  • Paediatric

Sarah Cawood

Paediatric Physiotherapist & Major Trauma Rehabilitation Coordinator. Specialist Interests:

  • Paediatrics
  • Major trauma

Colin Hamilton

Paediatric Physiotherapist. Specialist Interests:

  • Paediatrics
Neuromuscular physiotherapy

Joanne Moores

Neuromuscular Physiotherapist

Jacqui Taylor

Neuromuscular Physiotherapist

Neuromuscular care advisers

Andy Rose

Andrea Russell

Carol-Ann Wood

Elizabeth Joyner

Health, social care and educational professionals can refer to the service, or enquire about referrals, by emailing add-tr.eoe.nm@nhs.net (opens in a new tab)

Research nurses

Jennie Sharp

Research Nurse –Paediatric Clinical Research Sister. Specialist Interests:

  • Paediatrics research
  • Paediatric Neurology Studies
Ketogenic dietitians

Nicole Mills

Paediatric Dietitian. Specialist Interests:

  • Ketogenic dietary therapy

Hanna Laming

Paediatric Dietitian. Specialist Interests:

  • Ketogenic dietary therapy

Liadh Conway

Paediatric Dietitian. Specialist Interests:

Ketogenic dietary therapy