Primary Office

Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville 807 Children's Way Jacksonville, FL 32207 Appointment: (904) 697-3600

Other Offices

Get to Know Me

I’m proud to act as the Designated Institutional Official for Nemours Children’s Health and also privileged to treat children with epilepsy and other neurological conditions in Jacksonville. In addition, I’m active in helping train new doctors in how to care for children with neurologic disorders through a fellowship program with Mayo Clinic Florida.

Why I Treat Children

My work is all about caring for children who have neurological disorders like epilepsy. I focus on making their lives – and their families’ lives – better, so they can enjoy being children and pursue their own dreams.

What I'm Passionate About

I had the honor of helping a child with intractable epilepsy become seizure-free after complicated epilepsy surgery. Watching her play soccer for her school was a gift I’ll always remember.

How I Try to Make A Difference

Our scientific knowledge is increasing all the time, and so is our ability to address complex neurological issues. I enjoy seeing children with neurological disorders smile and lead full lives. It’s a blessing to help care for them, and I find it personally rewarding.

Education & Training

Fellowship

  • Pediatric Neurology - University of Minnesota, 1991

Internship

  • University of Malta, Faculty of Medicine/Surgery, 1985

Residency

  • Pediatrics - State University of New York - Brooklyn, 1988

Medical/Dental School

  • M.D. - University of Malta Medical School, 1982

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology/Child Neurology
  • American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology/Clinical Neurophysiology
  • American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology/Epilepsy

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna Better Health FL Medicaid and Healthy Kids
  • Aetna HMO/POS/PPO/EPO
  • AmeriGroup GA MCAID HMO JAX/GA
  • AmeriGroup GA PeachCare For Kids Jax/GA
  • AvMed
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield HMO
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield Non HMO
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida Blue Select
  • Cigna PPO/EPO/HMO/POS/OPEN ACCESS
  • Community Care Plan Medicaid
  • Curative Administrators
  • Employers Health Network PPO
  • Evolutions Healthcare
  • First Health Aetna PPO/EPO
  • Florida Community Care
  • Florida Medicaid
  • Florida Medicare
  • Georgia Medicaid/Georgia Better Health/Peachcare
  • Health First Health Plans
  • HealthSmart Health Plans PPO
  • HUMANA HEALTHY HORIZONS (FKA HUMANA MEDICAID)
  • Molina Healthcare Medicaid
  • Multiplan PPO
  • Olympus Managed Healthcare PPO ORL
  • Prime Health Services PPO Specialty Florida
  • Seminole Tribe of Florida
  • Simply Healthcare Healthy Kids
  • Simply Healthcare Medicaid HMO
  • Star Healthcare Network
  • Sunshine SMI/CMS 19 & 21
  • Sunshine State Health Plan Medicaid
  • Three Rivers Provider Network
  • Tricare/Humana Military Health Services/CHAMPVA
  • United Healthcare Commercial Products
  • United Healthcare Community Plan Medicaid
  • Volusia Health Network PPO/EPO

  • Epilepsy
  • Headaches
  • Myasthenia Gravis
  • Myotonic Dystrophy
  • Neuromuscular Disorders
  • Pediatric Movement Disorders
  • Seizures
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophy
  • Tics and Tourette Syndrome

Medical Interests

  • Brain malformations
  • Brain vascular abnormalities
  • Developmental delay
  • EEG abnormalities
  • Epilepsy medical management
  • Epilepsy presurgical evaluation
  • Epilepsy surgical treatment
  • Febrile seizures
  • First seizures evaluation
  • Head injury
  • Infantile spasms
  • Intractable epilepsy
  • Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
  • Tics and Tourette�s syndrome

  • Advances in Epilepsy Surgery; Pediatric Neurology; (2021).

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  • Lingual Seizures Due to Familial Cerebral Cavernous Malformations; Pediatric Neurology; (2021).

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  • Patterns Specific to Pediatric EEG; Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology; (2019).

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  • Time course of reversal of valproate-mediated inhibition of lamotrigine; Seizure; (2018).

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  • Brain-responsive neurostimulation in patients with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2017).

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  • Brain-responsive neurostimulation in patients with medically intractable seizures arising from eloquent and other neocortical areas; Epilepsia; (2017).

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  • Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome; Journal of Child Neurology; (2017).

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  • Factors influencing patient experience in pediatric neurology; Pediatric Neurology; (2016).

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  • Survival following decompressive hemicraniectomy for hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome: Case report; Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics; (2016).

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  • Anti-NMDA-receptor antibody encephalitis in infants; Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports; (2015).

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  • Lacosamide; Wyllie's Treatment of Epilepsy: Principles and Practice: Sixth Edition; (2015).

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  • Pediatric anti-NMDA (N-methyl D-Aspartate) receptor encephalitis; Pediatric Neurology; (2014).

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  • Childhood absence epilepsy; Epilepsy Case Studies: Pearls for Patient Care; (2013).

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  • Is iower IQ in children with epilepsy due to lower parental IQ? A controlled comparison study; Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology; (2013).

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  • Seizures from valproate-carbapenem interaction; Pediatric Neurology; (2013).

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  • Bone health and fractures in epilepsy; Wyllie's Treatment of Epilepsy: Principles and Practice: Fifth Edition; (2012).

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  • Evidence that temporal lobe is a default area in absence epilepsy; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2012).

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  • Lacosamide; Wyllie's Treatment of Epilepsy: Principles and Practice: Fifth Edition; (2012).

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  • Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies; Adult Epilepsy; (2011).

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  • Pediatric epileptology; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2011).

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  • Thalamofrontal neurodevelopment in new-onset pediatric idiopathic generalized epilepsy; Neurology; (2011).

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  • Absence epilepsy with focal clinical and electrographic seizures; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2010).

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  • Brain development in children with new onset epilepsy: A prospective controlled cohort investigation; Epilepsia; (2010).

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  • Children with new-onset epilepsy exhibit diffusion abnormalities in cerebral white matter in the absence of volumetric differences; Epilepsy Research; (2010).

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  • Key epilepsy gene gets further phenotypic delineation; Neurology; (2010).

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  • Adolescent and caregiver experiences with epilepsy; Journal of Child Neurology; (2009).

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  • Thalamofrontal circuitry and executive dysfunction in recent-onset juvenile myoclonic epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2009).

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  • Association of non-adherence to antiepileptic drugs and seizures, quality of life, and productivity: Survey of patients with epilepsy and physicians; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2008).

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  • Bone in idiopathic and symptomatic epilepsy; Epilepsy Research; (2008).

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  • Chapter 19 Metabolic Effects of AEDs. Impact on Body Weight, Lipids and Glucose Metabolism; International Review of Neurobiology; (2008).

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  • Do Central Nervous System Stimulants Lower Seizure Threshold?; Psychiatric Controversies in Epilepsy; (2008).

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  • Gender differences in bone mineral density in epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2008).

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  • Growing old with epilepsy: The neglected issue of cognitive and brain health in aging and elder persons with chronic epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2008).

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  • Growing up with epilepsy: A two-year investigation of cognitive development in children with new onset epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2008).

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  • Lamotrigine monotherapy for newly diagnosed typical absence seizures in children; Epilepsy Research; (2008).

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  • Progressive bone deficit in epilepsy; Neurology; (2008).

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  • Seizure emergency plans: Patient results from a cross-sectional epilepsy survey; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2008).

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  • Zonisamide for the treatment of myoclonic seizures in progressive myoclonic epilepsy: An open-label study; Epileptic Disorders; (2008).

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  • Bone Consequences of Epilepsy and Antiepileptic Medications; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2007).

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  • Bone Mineral Density With Lamotrigine Monotherapy for Epilepsy; Pediatric Neurology; (2007).

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  • Cognitive and Magnetic Resonance Volumetric Abnormalities in New-Onset Pediatric Epilepsy; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2007).

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  • Introduction: Consequences of Epilepsy and Its Treatment in Childhood and Adolescence; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2007).

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  • Psychiatric comorbidity in children with new onset epilepsy; Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology; (2007).

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  • Screening for bone health in epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2007).

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  • The frequency, complications and aetiology of ADHD in new onset paediatric epilepsy; Brain; (2007).

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  • Appendix B: Practice parameter: Evaluation of the child with global developmental delay; CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology; (2006).

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  • Children with new-onset epilepsy: Neuropsychological status and brain structure; Brain; (2006).

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  • Masturbation in infancy and early childhood presenting as a movement disorder [15]; Pediatrics; (2006).

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  • Optimizing epilepsy management in teenagers; Journal of Child Neurology; (2006).

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  • Pathological fractures in epilepsy; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2006).

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  • Protracted ictal confusion in elderly patients; Archives of Neurology; (2006).

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  • Antiepileptic drugs enhance age-related osteoporosis: Commentary; Neurology; (2005).

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  • Nonpharmacological treatment options for epilepsy; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2005).

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  • Oral absorption kinetics of levetiracetam: The effect of mixing with food or enteral nutrition formulas; Clinical Therapeutics; (2005).

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  • Sleep architecture in children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2005).

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  • Bone health in epilepsy; Lancet Neurology; (2004).

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  • Bone health in pediatric epilepsy; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2004).

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  • Cognitive consequences of antiepilepsy medications in children; Neurology; (2004).

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  • Epilepsy and bone health: Is there cause for concern?; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2004).

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  • Metabolic concerns associated with antiepileptic medications; Neurology; (2004).

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  • The nature and course of neuropsychological morbidity in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy; Neurology; (2004).

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  • Evaluation of VPA dose and concentration effects on lamotrigine pharmacokinetics: Implications for conversion to lamotrigine monotherapy; Epilepsy Research; (2003).

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  • Extratemporal quantitative MR volumetrics and neuropsychological status in temporal lobe epilepsy; Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society; (2003).

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  • Levetiracetam does not alter body weight: Analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials; Epilepsy Research; (2003).

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  • Practice parameter: Evaluation of the child with global developmental delay: Report of the quality standards subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and The Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society; Neurology; (2003).

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  • Adolescent issues in epilepsy; Journal of Child Neurology; (2002).

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  • Bone health in epilepsy; Epilepsia; (2002).

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  • Challenging issues in pediatric epilepsy; Journal of Child Neurology; (2002).

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  • Epilepsy surgery presurgical evaluation; Neurologic Clinics; (2002).

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  • Focal vs. generalized seizures: Why classify?; Clinical Pediatrics; (2002).

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  • Foreword; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2002).

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  • Intractable pediatric epilepsy: Vagal nerve stimulation and the ketogenic diet; Neurologic Clinics; (2002).

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  • Negative symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy; American Journal of Psychiatry; (2002).

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  • The neurodevelopmental impact of childhood-onset temporal lobe epilepsy on brain structure and function; Epilepsia; (2002).

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  • Object naming and semantic knowledge in temporal lobe epilepsy; Neuropsychology; (2001).

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  • Comorbid Psychiatric Symptoms in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Association with Chronicity of Epilepsy and Impact on Quality of Life; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2000).

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  • Effects of Anticonvulsant Medication on EEG Sleep Architecture; Epilepsy and Behavior; (2000).

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  • Gelastic seizures of neocortical origin confirmed by resective surgery; Journal of Child Neurology; (2000).

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  • Intractable pediatric epilepsy: Presurgical evaluation; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2000).

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  • Intravenous valproic acid for myoclonic status epilepticus; Neurology; (2000).

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  • Introduction: Pediatric epilepsy surgery in 2000; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2000).

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  • Pediatric epilepsy surgery: Neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and anticonvulsants; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (2000).

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  • Status epilepticus associated with cafepime; Neurology; (2000).

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  • A child with reading impairment and a family history of adrenoleukodystrophy; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (1999).

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  • Acute spinal cord infarction: Vascular steal in arteriovenous malformation; Journal of Child Neurology; (1999).

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  • Electroencephalogram confirmatory rate in neonatal seizures; Pediatric Neurology; (1999).

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  • Infantile botulism: Pitfalls in electrodiagnosis; Journal of Child Neurology; (1999).

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  • Neonatal seizures: Incidence, onset, and etiology by gestational age; Journal of Perinatology; (1999).

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  • Neonatal seizures: Unusual causes; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (1999).

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  • Neonatal suck reflex pattern does not predict apnea; Journal of Child Neurology; (1999).

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  • Persistent occipital electrographic status epilepticus; Journal of Child Neurology; (1999).

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  • Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (1999).

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  • Vigabatrin: A novel therapy for seizure disorders; Annals of Pharmacotherapy; (1999).

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  • Basilar artery occlusion and the dense artery sign in the newborn; Clinical Pediatrics; (1998).

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  • Delayed postanoxic encephalopathy: Possible role for apoptosis; Journal of Child Neurology; (1998).

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  • Electroencephalogram in developmental delay: Specific electroclinical syndromes; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology; (1998).

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  • Frequency of neurologic disorders in the neonatal intensive care unit; Journal of Child Neurology; (1998).

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  • Refractory status epilepticus: Response to ketamine; Neurology; (1998).

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  • Spinal cord mass and deferral of biopsy: A therapeutic dilemma; Journal of Child Neurology; (1998).

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  • Trends in incidence and severity of intraventricular hemorrhage; Journal of Child Neurology; (1998).

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  • Rolandic epilepsy and cortical dysplasia: MRI correlation of epileptiform discharges; Pediatric Neurology; (1997).

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  • Age and Guillain-Barré syndrome severity; Muscle and Nerve; (1996).

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  • Bone mineral density in geographically diverse adolescent populations; Pediatrics; (1996).

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  • Eclamptic seizures, magnesium, and semantics; Archives of Neurology; (1996).

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  • Hypertensive Encephalopathy and Sympathetic Innervation of the Cerebral Circulation: A Comment; Journal of Child Neurology; (1996).

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  • Mental retardation plus macrocephaly in a 16-year-old boy.; Seminars in pediatric neurology; (1996).

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  • Midazolam in the treatment of refractory neonatal seizures; Clinical Neuropharmacology; (1996).

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  • Neck pain and headache in an afebrile 15-year-old.; Seminars in pediatric neurology; (1996).

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  • Parietal occipital edema in hypertensive encephalopathy: A pathogenic mechanism; European Neurology; (1996).

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  • Raymond syndrome: A validation; European Neurology; (1996).

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  • Recurrent coma.; Seminars in pediatric neurology; (1996).

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  • Size of the corpus callosum in cerebral palsy; Journal of Neuroimaging; (1996).

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  • The unmodulated oculocephalic reflex: Clinical feature of the persistent vegetative state in the neonate; Journal of Child Neurology; (1996).

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  • Vigabatrin in childhood epilepsy: Comparable efficacy for generalized and partial seizures; Clinical Neuropharmacology; (1996).

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  • Acute confusional migraine: Variant of transient global amnesia; Pediatric Neurology; (1995).

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  • Clobazam for Intractable Pediatric Epilepsy; Journal of Child Neurology; (1995).

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  • Critical illness neuromuscular disease in children manifested as ventilatory dependence; The Journal of Pediatrics; (1995).

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  • Differential Involvement of the Brain in Neonatal Asphyxia: A Pathogenic Explanation; Journal of Child Neurology; (1995).

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  • Effect of carbamazepine and valproate on bone mineral density; The Journal of Pediatrics; (1995).

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  • Longitudinal Head Growth in Developmentally Normal Preterm Infants; Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine; (1995).

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  • Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome Secondary to Epstein-Barr Virus Infection; Journal of Child Neurology; (1995).

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  • Progressive neurologic impairment from an arteriovenous malformation vascular steal; Pediatric Neurology; (1995).

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  • Topical Review: Neuromuscular Complications of Sepsis in Children; Journal of Child Neurology; (1995).

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  • Aggression in children treated with clobazam for epilepsy; Clinical Neuropharmacology; (1994).

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  • Cerebral dysgenesis: An overview; Neurologic Clinics; (1994).

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  • Compressive sciatic neuropathy due to uterine abnormality; Muscle & Nerve; (1994).

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  • Effective Utilization of Home-Video Recordings for the Evaluation of Paroxysmal Events in Pediatrics; Clinical Pediatrics; (1994).

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  • Episodic spontaneous hypothermia with hyperhidrosis: Implications for pathogenesis; Pediatric Neurology; (1994).

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  • Stroke Due to a Traumatic Vertebral Artery Dissection in a Girl; Clinical Pediatrics; (1994).

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