Phone: 617-840-0528 | Fax: 617-724-7860
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Brian Tseng, MD, and Ann Neumeyer, MD, Pediatric Neurology |
The Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic offers coordinated, multidisciplinary care for infants, children, and adolescents with a wide variety of neuromuscular disorders, including:
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) or Becker Muscular Dystrophy
- Myopathies including limb-girdle muscular dystrophies, myotonic dystrophies, metabolic myopathies, mitochondrial myopathies, inflammatory and toxic myopathies
- Neuromuscular junction disorders including myasthenia gravis
- Peripheral neuropathies including Charçot-Marie-Tooth disease and other hereditary neuropathies, acquired neuropathies such as acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathies, etc.
- Friedrich’s Ataxia
- Known affected family members with any of the above genetic conditions and concern in an infant or child with neuromuscular issues
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Pat Costello (Sleep Lab), Craig Canapari, MD, Bernard Kinane, MD, Pediatric Pulmonary |
Multidisciplinary Program and Custom Treatment Plans
Our specialists evaluate children with low muscle tone, muscle weakness, delayed motor skills, muscle pain, cramping, or who have an inherited neuromuscular disease or genetic risk. Initial comprehensive evaluations take place in a single day (Tuesdays) and depending upon referral requests a given patient may see a range of pediatric specialists, including pulmonologists, cardiologists, geneticists, endocrinologists, neurologists/neuromuscular specialists, physical therapists, orthotists, nutritionists, and social workers.
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Ana Maria Rosales, MD (center), with echocardiography technicians Jill Haskell and Cathy Davidson, Pediatric Cardiology |
The initial evaluation includes an extensive conference with parents as well as an examination of the child. Based on exam findings, a specific diagnosis will be sought. This effort sometimes involved blood DNA tests and possibly other studies including imaging and muscle/nerve biopsies. Based on a specific diagnosis, targeted recommendations from the multidisciplinary treatment team can best be offered. Some recommendations will include physical and occupational therapists as well as recommendations for early intervention or school-based therapy. Our team will send a summary note of findings to the referring physician and to the parents. Most patients will typically come to this clinic once or twice per year and efforts to be coordinated with the primary care provider is of utmost importance.
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Paul Boepple, MD, Pediatric Endocrinology |
Our Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic staff will try to coordinate and make recommendations for the appropriate resources near the child's home. At MGH, we have a close association with colleagues in the adult neuromuscular clinic which allows not only easy conferencing with its world-renowned researchers, but also smooth continuity of care as the patient matures from an adolescence to an adulthood.
Family-Centered Care
At MassGeneral Hospital for Children, we know that the time of your child’s diagnosis and treatment is a very stressful one and we strive to provide an open, welcoming environment. We believe that no one knows a child as well as the parent does: parents, along with primary care providers, become our partners in a child's care and have an active voice in all treatment plans.
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Marsha Browning, MD, and genetics counselor Christa Haun, Pediatric Genetics |
