Blog Archive

Parents are understandably worried when they notice their child’s hands shaking or see tremors in the arms or legs. No matter where tremors appear, you’re fearful about your child’s health and want to know if they have a serious condition. We want to give you a straightforward answer to ease...

Nothing is more heartbreaking for parents than having a child in pain. When a migraine is the cause, children often face a long ordeal of severe head pain, nausea, and vomiting — and that’s only the headache phase. Migraines can pass through four stages with distinct, varying symptoms. Even though...

Cerebral palsy always affects muscle strength and movement, but it’s not one diagnosis and appears differently in each child. Your child may have one of several types and mild to severe symptoms. No matter what type of cerebral palsy your child faces, THINK Neurology for Kids has an exceptional team...

Six million children in the United States are diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and each one has parents who wonder if their child could outgrow the condition. Everyone here at THINK Neurology for Kids —  Shaun S. Varghese, MD, Cristina R. Marchesano, MD, Lorena Herbert, MD, Barbara Kiersz-Mueller, DO, Lauren...

Therapy makes a dramatic difference for children with autism at any age by helping them overcome their autism challenges and learn essential life and learning skills. However, early intervention does a remarkable job of setting children up for success as they confront the new demands of school and increasing social...

Teens don’t get a break from migraines just because of their age. They face adult-level pain that forces them to miss school, stops them from enjoying friends and activities, and often causes depression.  Our THINK Neurology for Kids team — Shaun S. Varghese, MD, Cristina R. Marchesano, MD, Lorena Herbert,...

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most valuable tools for seeing inside your child’s body and identifying the physical reasons for their symptoms. But MRIs also cause significant anxiety for parents, as they worry about how their child will tolerate the scan. The remarkable team at THINK Neurology...

Concussions are misleading. Their mild symptoms suggest there’s nothing to worry about, yet they can bruise the brain, cause nerve damage, and affect cognitive function. The subtle signs of a head injury are why THINK Neurology for Kids uses concussion assessments from ImPACT® Applications, Inc. (ImPACT). Using ImPACT to assess the severity of...

Children commonly get headaches, but when occasional pain turns into frequent headaches, it’s time to seek help and learn how to treat the problem. Our caring team at THINK Neurology for Kids — Shaun S. Varghese, MD, Cristina R. Marchesano, MD, Michelle E. Nwosu, MD, Lorena Herbert, MD, Barbara Kiersz-Mueller,...

Nearly one in three children and teens will faint at least once, but the fact that it’s a common problem doesn’t make it any less problematic for parents. Fainting seldom means your child has a health problem, but it can be a sign of a potentially severe condition. That’s why...

Has your child suddenly screamed when you turned on the vacuum cleaner or tried to brush their hair? Gagged at the odor of certain foods? Refused to wear clothes? Or had an out-of-the-blue meltdown at the store? These and other oversized emotional reactions and behaviors arise from sensory sensitivity. Most...

Sports neurology isn’t limited to injuries that occur during competitive sports. Your child could sustain a neurological injury during any activity, whether on the playground or riding their bicycle. But, no matter how their injury happens, they can benefit from the unique approach of sports neurology. Our team at THINK Neurology for...

You may be familiar with tremors as one of the symptoms of movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease. But tremor is also a primary condition affecting people of all ages, including children. Tremors in kids can be frustrating, embarrassing and affect their ability to use their hands during play, sports, and...

Tourette syndrome dramatically impacts a child’s self-esteem, as unusual tics draw unwanted attention from peers, affect their ability to make friends, and interfere with success at school. Tourette syndrome also affects parents because no one is ever prepared to help their child with an uncontrollable tic disorder. The compassionate team at THINK...

Children can get all the same types of headaches as adults, including severe headaches and migraines. 10% of children ages 5-15 and up to 28% of teens struggle with debilitating migraine headaches. The caring team at THINK Neurology for Kids specializes in identifying the type of headache causing your child’s...

Childhood seizure disorder doesn’t always appear the way most parents imagine. Instead of losing consciousness and having body-wide muscle spasms, children are more likely to have subtle, brief symptoms that may go unnoticed. There are significantly more than five signs of childhood seizures. However, the range of symptoms goes into...

Psychological evaluations for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) usually depend on observations and information provided by patients and their families, caretakers, and teachers.  But when your child’s challenges suggest they have ADHD, the THINK Neurology for Kids team has a better screening tool: the QbTest®.  The QbTest is a computerized diagnostic...

There’s no doubt that a concussion alters your child’s sleep. Changes in sleep rank among the most common symptoms after a concussion. Many children sleep more, while others have trouble sleeping. And about 30-70% of children with concussions develop a sleep disorder like insomnia. Changes in sleep habits are worrisome under any circumstance. After...

Cerebral palsy isn’t just one disease; it’s a group of brain disorders that affect muscle movement. As a group, the different types of cerebral palsy represent the most common movement disorder in children. Though cerebral palsy is a lifelong disorder, it doesn’t worsen over time. The comprehensive and customized care...

Few milestones are as precious as hearing your child’s first words. From that moment forward, you’re acutely aware of their progress. Even if you don’t look up the milestones, you talk with other parents and know if your child’s speech is on par with other children their age. If your...

The four types of Chiari malformations are named according to their severity. Type I is the least severe and often not found until adulthood. Type II causes more severe brain malformations, but with early treatment, most children live a long, healthy life. Whether your child has been diagnosed with a Chiari malformation...

The uncontrollable and embarrassing nature of the tics caused by Tourette syndrome can have a devastating impact on your child’s emotional health, self-esteem, school success, and social life. But children, teens, and their parents can take heart. The team at THINK Neurology for Kids specializes in treatments proven to effectively reduce tics and provide...

Nearly every article about autism contains a list of core deficits, challenges, and depressing facts about the increasing number of children with autism or the lack of services. Parents can easily sink into the overwhelming wave of problems. Every now and then, you need to stop and think about the positive. That’s...

Self-esteem determines your child's ability to make decisions, express their needs and build healthy relationships. Children need healthy self-esteem to believe they can succeed in life. Unfortunately, if your child has ADHD, chances are they have low self-esteem. It’s essential to create a plan to improve how they think and...

One night without enough sleep makes kids temporarily irritable and cranky. But lack of sleep over an extended time has a serious, long-lasting impact on their emotional and physical health. Knowing how much sleep your child needs is crucial. However, making sure they actually get the required hours is often...

If your child complains of severe headaches, there's a good chance they have migraines. Children of any age can develop a migraine, even children as young as 18 months. These extraordinarily painful headaches affect 10% of children between the ages of 5-15 and up to 28% of teens.  If your...

Whether your child bumps their head during sports or takes a fall at home or on the playground, they need a prompt assessment. Even if they feel fine and don't have symptoms of a concussion, it's still crucial to get an evaluation that reveals the effect on their brain. When...

Parents love to talk about their kids and, in the process, they compare their child's progress to other children. The big moments parents share (and compare), like their baby's first words and steps, are developmental milestones. Children achieve many milestones as they get older, but sometimes they fall behind their...

Tourette syndrome is shrouded in myths. Though it's easy to understand how people might misunderstand a disease that makes children uncontrollably twitch, move, or speak random words, the myths are perpetuated by how the condition is portrayed in movies and TV shows. As specialists in diagnosing and treating children with...

Type I Chiari malformations are estimated to affect 1% of all children. Though the condition isn’t common, parents who know the signs and symptoms are prepared to recognize a potential problem and seek early treatment quickly. The compassionate team at THINK Neurology for Kids works closely with parents and their...

If you don’t have experience with seizures, you may envision them as Hollywood portrays them. While losing consciousness, falling to the floor, and having whole-body jerking motions is a type of seizure, it’s only one type. Seizures range from such minimal symptoms no one notices to the type seen in...

One out of five children develops speech and language at a pace that’s slower than their peers. Sometimes children overcome the delay by the time they enter kindergarten. However, a speech delay can also signal an underlying problem that needs specialized intervention. Seeking help as early as possible goes a...

Active children and teens have many opportunities to take a fall or a bump that results in a concussion. Young children can roll off a couch, toddlers can fall and hit their heads while running around at the playground, and of course, all kids face the risk when they play...

What is Autism?Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges with social skills, speech/nonverbal communication, and restrictive/repetitive behaviors. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declared that in the United States, 1 in 54 children have Autism. ASD is a lifelong condition and is normally diagnosed at age...

Brain waves are electrical potentials activity of the brain. They communicate between neurons within our brains. Brain waves occur at various frequencies, some are fast and some are slow. They have different names: Alpha, Beta, Theta, Delta, Gamma. They’re measured in hertz (frequency) or cycles per second. When there is...

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most valuable tools available for neurological conditions. It gives us details about the brain and spinal cord that can’t be produced using any other type of diagnostic imaging. When your child’s symptoms and neurological exam suggest they need an MRI, THINK Neurology...

Of all the challenges that come along with Tourette Syndrome, one of the most difficult is that tics seem unpredictable. It’s hard to know how to manage them when the type, frequency, and severity of your child’s tics can suddenly change. But psychotherapy (talk therapy) can help. At THINK Neurology...

All children with epilepsy have seizures, but their symptoms are dramatically different. It all depends on the type of seizure. The team at THINK Neurology for Kids understands that seizures are incredibly frightening for you and your child. Helping both of you cope with the trauma and overcome the fear...

Learning your child has autism may take you by surprise. You may feel like the wind was just knocked out of you. Or maybe you’ve been struggling with challenging behaviors, you suspected autism, and it’s a relief to finally have an answer. No matter where you begin, an autism diagnosis...

Noticing a memory problem in your child or teen can be incredibly unnerving. You may wonder if their memory lapses are normal for their developmental stage or if a glitch in their memory signals a more serious problem. Rather than worrying about the possibilities, connect with our team at THINK...

Children and teens frequently develop common tension headaches. But they’re also susceptible to serious headaches like migraines. About 10% of children aged 5-15 years get migraines. That number rises to 28% of teens. And, surprisingly, half of all kids have their first migraine before the age of 12. As specialists...

Some sports are riskier than others, but the fact is that young athletes can end up with a concussion no matter what activity they choose. About 70% of all concussions occur when children and teens engage in sports. And surprisingly, girls have nearly double the chance of sustaining a concussion...

There’s a clear-cut difference between attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and determining which one fits your child is the first step toward giving them the help they need to succeed. The team at THINK Neurology for Kids conducts a thorough evaluation, working with you, your child,...

Concussion symptoms can be tricky to recognize because they’re often mild and can be delayed for hours or days. Your child’s symptoms could appear in unexpected ways or your child may be too young to express the problem. Children may take a fall on the playground or during a sports...

In the summer of 2018, Emma Whittington had just finished her freshman year of college and was a busy intern at a local church in The Woodlands. Quite suddenly, Emma became ill and bedridden-- forced to see more than a dozen physicians in Texas, Michigan, and Minnesota, getting misdiagnosed with everything...

Ella Lee Forest resident Leah Salinas was in middle school when attention-deficit disorder really started impacting her life, though she wouldn’t be diagnosed with it for more than 20 years. “I could not read (large) amounts of text and absorb it,” she said. “I was in honors classes and had...

Children with ADHD are often mislabeled because their struggles appear to mimic the normal challenges of childhood, like periods of hyperactivity and learning to pay attention.  But when your child has ADHD, their challenges are more persistent and severe than typical kid behavior because they come from neurological differences in...

Cerebral palsy affects muscle function and movement in every child who has the disorder. Otherwise, each child’s abilities and challenges are different. As one example, some children can walk while others need assistance.  The best therapy for cerebral palsy starts as early as possible and is based on each child’s...

Parents of children diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome find they’re suddenly responsible for intense roles they never imagined. Education advocate, in-home behavioral therapist, and emotional support ally are a few of the top roles they assume while caring for their child. When families come to THINK Neurology for Kids, we offer...

When your friend proudly says that their 12-month-old speaks in three-word sentences and your 12-month-old just started to say mama or dada, you can’t help but wonder if there’s something wrong with your child’s development. Many parents who are concerned about their child’s development come to THINK Neurology for Kids...

Seizures occur when there’s a sudden surge of abnormal electrical activity in your child’s brain. While seizures usually don’t last long, they’re frightening for parents and children because of the changes they cause, from uncontrollable shaking to losing consciousness. THINK Neurology for Kids specializes in treating children with seizure disorders....

The neurological differences in people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) make it hard for them to pay attention. Children don’t seem to listen, they miss instructions, and they can’t get organized. And that’s just the start of the daily problems they face as they struggle to focus. But there’s another...

There’s no way to predict when your child might take a blow that gives them a concussion. Playing in sports increases their risk, yet they can suffer a concussion just as easily from a fall. The trickiest part is recognizing when your child has suffered a concussion. Their symptoms may...

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy are two different conditions, but they often occur together or get misdiagnosed as one another. One sign of epilepsy, known as absence seizures, is commonly mistaken for inattentive ADHD. In order to treat neurological conditions such as epilepsy, symptoms like absence seizures must be...

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is difficult to diagnose. The diagnostic process takes time, allowing our doctors to get to know you and your family, as well as to rule out any other pathologies that exist. The diagnosis of ADHD is multi-faceted and must be modified over time as your child...

Join the Down Syndrome Association of Houston and THINK Neurology for Kids as we unite for a common cause and raise funds at the 2019 Houston Buddy Walk. Whether you have Down syndrome, know someone who does, or just want to show your support, take the first step and donate or register today!...

If your child has sudden uncontrollable leg or arm movements and can’t stop jerking, you can be sure they just had a seizure. But seizures show up in more subtle ways as well, including staring spells, bouts of confusion, and momentary loss of consciousness or awareness.  At THINK Neurology for...

Dr. Varghese has been featured on page 31 of LIVING magazine March edition.

After a review of 14 studies, researchers concluded that the more physical activity children have the more likely they are to do better academically. All 14 studies involved children ranging in ages 6 to 18. Physical activity and sports are generally advocated for the positive effect they have on children’s...

Football is one of the more popular spectator sports in the United States having formed in the late 1800’s at college campuses. It’s also considered a violent sport and over the years, the league has established new rules that make the game safer. However, even with the rules it’s inevitable...