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Advanced Monitoring and Surgery for Epilepsy At Akron Children's, Dr. Hudgins cares for children and young adults with seizure disorders, brain tumors, spinal injuries, craniofacial disor- ders and head trauma. He came to Akron Children's more than a year ago from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, where he served as chief medical officer for Neurosciences and Craniofacial Surgery and chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and was a clinical professor in neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine. He takes a special interest in epilepsy. "Epileptic seizures slow brain devel- opment, carry a social stigma, and if they are not well controlled, are a life-consuming problem for children and their families," says Dr. Hudgins. "At the NeuroDevelopmental Science Center, epilepsy is a focal point and plays to every strength we have as a team." As division director of Neurobehavioral Health, Dr. Lisa Stanford recently came on board to evaluate cognitive, behavioral, social, adaptive and academic functioning in the context of a patient's seizures and their medical or surgical treat- ment. She works with epileptologist Patrick Brown, MD, and Dr. Hudgins to determine which patients are candidates for surgery. Akron Children's newly created, state-of-the-art epilepsy monitor- ing unit uses continuous video EEG monitoring for accurate localization of seizures to improve drug therapy and more quickly identify patients eligible for curative brain surgery — appropri- ate in about 20 percent of cases. According to Dr. Hudgins, a child whose epi lepsy is not medical ly controlled has difficulty learning effectively. The longer the situation continues, the more the child's IQ scores drop. If the affected portion of the brain can be surgically removed without long-term harm, a child can move forward intellectually. "At Akron Children's, we don't tell parents their child is too young for surgery," says Dr. Hudgins. "We have operated on babies as young as 10 days old. When surgery is appropriate, the sooner it's performed the better. As we move into new dimensions of epilepsy treatment and surgery, we are taking steps that are chal- lenging and wonderful at the same time." Hope and Help for Patients With Brain Tumors Akron Children's is also making great strides in the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors. Dr. Bruce Cohen, director of Neurology, came to Akron Children's from the Cleveland Clinic, where he served as the chief of Pediatric Neurology, with joint appointments in the Clinic's Taussig Cancer Center, Neurosurgery and department of Pediatrics. Dr. Cohen also serves on the board of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation and is active in a number of professional organizations, including the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society, for which he serves as a media spokesperson. Bruce Cohen, director of Neurology, is internationally known for his work in childhood brain tumors and mitochondrial disease. He came to Akron Children's from the Cleveland Clinic, where he served as the chief of Pediatric Neurology, with joint appointments in the Clinic's Taussig Cancer Center, Neurosurgery and the department of Pediatrics. He serves on the board of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation and is active in a number of professional organizations, including the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society, for which he serves as a media spokesperson. PHOTO COURTESY OF AKRON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL