St. Christopher’s Hospital Physicians Author Clinical Resource on Pediatric Neurosciences

Chief of Neurology, Agustin Legido, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A. and
Chief of Neurosurgery, Joseph H. Piatt, M.D., co-edited textbook

Pediatricians around the country now have access to information on pediatric neurosciences following the publication of a new textbook. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children physicians, Agustin Legido, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A. and Joseph H. Piatt, M.D., co-edited the first edition of Clinical Pediatric Neurosciences for Primary Care, published recently by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This new clinical resource equips primary care physicians with expert guidance on the diagnosis, evaluation and management of a wide range of pediatric neurologic and neurosurgical conditions.

“During pediatric residency training, pediatricians do not always receive exposure to pediatric neurology,” says Dr. Legido, chief of neurology at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. “As a result, they do not always know which conditions can be managed in a primary care setting and when to refer patients to specialists.”

The textbook provides a comprehensive overview of some of the most common pediatric neurology and neurosurgery conditions that primary care providers are likely to encounter including traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, neuromuscular disorders, encephalopathies and epilepsy among others. In addition to expert management recommendations, it also provides practical implications of recent research

“What makes this publication unique is that it provides a collaborative medical and surgical perspective, which has not been seen in previous reference books,” says Dr. Piatt, chief of neurosurgery at St. Christopher’s Hospital. “This is especially useful in conditions requiring a coordinated approach including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain tumors and brachial plexus palsy.”

Contributions to the book come from a wide range of pediatric authorities and reflect the latest research in and treatments of pediatric neurology and neurosurgery. More than 15 specialists from St. Christopher’s Hospital contributed to the textbook, which is available for purchase through the AAP and online bookstores.

Dr. Legido specializes in the care and treatment of children with neurologic disorders. He has published numerous journal articles and authored chapters of textbooks on pediatric neurology. He serves as professor of pediatrics and neurology at Drexel University College of Medicine and clinical professor of pediatrics at Temple University School of Medicine.

Dr. Piatt specializes in the care and treatment of children with neurologic disorders requiring surgery. His clinical interests include brachial plexus palsy, brain tumors, craniofacial deformities and craniosynostosis, epilepsy and spina bifida. He serves as professor of pediatrics at Drexel University College of Medicine and adjunct professor of neurosurgery at Temple University School of Medicine.

Since 1875, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children has been providing exceptional patient care and advancing new pediatric treatments through research and innovation. Through affiliations with Drexel University College of Medicine and Temple University School of Medicine, St. Christopher’s is a teaching hospital helping to train the next generation of professionals in pediatric medicine.

The 189-bed hospital is committed to delivering high quality family- and patient-centered care to children from throughout the Philadelphia area and around the world. Its highly acclaimed programs include its Cystic Fibrosis Center, Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), as well as its Burn Center, which is the only dedicated pediatric burn center in the area. In 2009 St. Christopher’s achieved Magnet status, which is one of the nation's highest forms of recognition for nursing excellence.

St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is part of the Tenet Health System. To learn more about St. Christopher’s, visit www.stchristophershospital.com.