Neuropediatrics 2017; 48(S 01): S1-S45
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1602895
KSS – Key Subject Session
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Challenges in Interdisciplinary Communication

C. Lampe
1   Zentrum für Seltene Erkrankungen (ZSE) Wiesbaden, HELIOS Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
26 April 2017 (online)

 

A major challenge in neuropediatrics is the wide range of complex disorders of the child’s central nervous system (CNS). The CNS development is different in all stages of development and age of a child. Neurometabolic, genetically degenerative, and neuromuscular disorders, also congenital malformations of the nervous system, tumors, vascular, inflammatory, and traumatic damages of the nervous system as well as epilepsies, are typical neuropediatric disease groups. Often, not only the CNS but also other organ systems are also affected. A multidisciplinary treatment of the affected child is of most importance. An intensive exchange with other specialists, therapists, psychologists, electrophysiologists, radiologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, etc., is therefore necessary. The challenge is to provide sufficient information to the other disciplines, which usually have no experience with these specific diseases, so that they can adequately assess their results. This is even more complicated with rare diseases.

This is followed by an evaluation of all collected findings by the neuropediatrician. This would be ideally done in a multidisciplinary team meeting, which is difficult to achieve in the daily clinic routine. It is mostly complicated when different approaches and therapeutic approaches meet.

A typical and not infrequent problem is to ensure child mobility (walking). The cardiologist has concerns about cardiac involvement and is also considering an urgent surgical correction. In addition, the child has severe epileptic seizures, is severely psychomotorically delayed and has consistently severe recurrent pulmonary infections. The surgeon would like to correct the inguinal hernia in the same session. From anesthesiological side, there is an anesthesia risk if the child is healthy. The main challenge is to evaluate the specific therapeutic approaches that have been proposed and to put into a sensible therapy strategy.