Your Child's Brain

On this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain, we mark the fifth anniversary of the podcast. Dr. Ali Fatemi, Kennedy Krieger’s chief medical officer, joins host Dr. Brad Schlaggar to celebrate and reflect on these past five years. More than 95 experts have appeared on the show to share information on a wide variety of topics, including autism, epilepsy, stroke, sickle cell disease, post-cancer rec...

It is now estimated that more than 20 percent of American children and teens have at least one mental, behavioral, or emotional health condition. Among the most common of these mental health challenges are anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (or OCD). In this episode, Dr. Joe McGuire, director of psychology for the Developmental Behavioral Health Program at Kennedy Krieger, discusses cogniti...

Just like adult neurologists, pediatric neurologists take care of conditions and diseases involving the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles. They do so in the context of development, from preterm newborns throughout childhood and adolescence into adulthood. On this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain, we highlight the field of pediatric neurology, including why...

About 1% of all children in the U.S. have multiple significant and chronic health problems, or what’s known as “medical complexity.” Kennedy Krieger happens to be a leading treatment center for children whose medical complexities affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, or muscles. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Melicosta, associate chief medical officer, explains what medical complexity is. Listener...

Listen in as our host, Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, talks with neurologist Dr. Connie Smith-Hicks, an expert on SYNGAP1-related disorder. They discuss this diagnosis as well as ground-breaking, collaborative research into this rare disease and brain function.

February is Rare Disease Month, a time to shine a bright light on the work that goes into identifying, treating, and, ultimately, finding the cures for rare diseases. Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, as he discusses research around rare disease with Dr. Jacqueline Harris, a pediatric neurologist and an international leader in the study of Kabuki syndrome. Also on the...

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is disrupted—either because a blood vessel gets blocked or because it breaks and causes bleeding. Many people think strokes only happen to adults, but children—even newborns—can have strokes too. Unfortunately, awareness is low, and strokes in kids are often misdiagnosed, which can lead to dangerous delays in treatment. Just like in adults, rec...

Raising a child with a disability is a journey marked by love, resilience, and hope,but it also brings complex challenges that can feel overwhelming. Parents are navigating unfamiliar systems, advocating fiercely for services, and making critical decisions,all without a roadmap. We are pleased to provide families with a new resource and roadmap. Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kenned...

Early childhood is an important stage of life for brain development. As a child learns new information, engages in social interaction, and goes through their daily routine, their brain responds with neuroplasticity, a process that allows it to change, adapt, and reorganize. Listen to Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute and his guests, Drs. Joanna Burton and Gwendolyn...

For children, social interaction isn’t just play—it’s brain-building. When children connect, share, and empathize, they are also strengthening the neural pathways that shape emotional intelligence, communication, cooperation, and lifelong learning. Join Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute and his guests Drs. Maya Opendak and Tomomi Karigo as they discuss the development...

Parenting is one of the most important jobs—but most parents don’t get formal training. Many rely on what they learned growing up and figure things out along the way. While that works for some, others may struggle—especially when faced with challenging behaviors or uncertainty about how to support their child. Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, along with Dr. Debbie Gro...

As students get ready to go back to school soon, Kennedy Krieger President and CEO Dr. Brad Schlaggar and his guest, Dr. Nancy Grasmick, former superintendent of schools for the state of Maryland, discuss educating students with neurodevelopmental concerns, the importance of training teachers to meet the needs of those students and what can be done to improve the educational outcomes of all studen...

In this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain Dr. Brad Schlaggar, President and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute, is joined by Jim Schmutz and Abby DiGilio from Special Olympics Maryland to discuss the power of sports and how participation in sports enables individuals with developmental disabilities to shatter stereotypes and succeed, not only on the playing field, but also in life.

What do we know about the health benefits of exercise and other physical activity for children? We know it builds strong muscles and bones, helps keep children at a healthy weight, and can contribute to better sleep. But wait—can regular exercise boost a child’s brain power? Find out when Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, and his guest Dr. Autumn Ivy discuss the fascinating...

We are in the midst of an unprecedented mental health crisis in this country that has especially impacted children. According to experts, an estimated one in five youth has an undiagnosed mental, emotional or behavioral disorder—yet many do not get the help they need. May is known as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month and in this month’s episode of Your Child’s Brain, Dr. Brad Schlaggar is j...

April is known internationally as Autism Acceptance Month, providing an opportunity to think about and deepen our understanding of the complexities of this neurodevelopmental diagnosis and the varied lived experiences of people who have been diagnosed with autism. Over the decades since autism was first described, there have been there have been significant changes not only in how we diagnose auti...

This month marks five years since much of the United States was under a state of emergency due to the infectious disease COVID-19 and the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV-2. Thankfully, primarily due to vastly improved immunity resulting from vaccines and natural immunity, the mortality of COVID-19 has dropped significantly. But one of the most challenging consequences of the infection is the condit...

February is Rare Disease Month---a month-long focus on rare diseases, culminating on rare disease day, February 28th. Currently more than 7,000 rare diseases have been identified with a significant proportion of them involving the developing brain and nervous system.

Discover how neuropsychologists help children overcome cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Dr. Brad Schlaggar and experts from Kennedy Krieger discuss the benefits of evaluations, joined by a parent sharing their experience.

Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurologic disorders seen in children and adults, in fact, 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy during their lifetime. It can occur on its own or alongside other health conditions of the brain. Despite it being relatively common, there are many myths, misunderstandings---as well as a great deal of stigma associated with epilepsy. Join Kennedy Krieger’s CE...

We humans, typically, have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, we have an extra chromosome or we are missing one. Down syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder that occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of their 21st chromosome. Down syndrome is the most frequent of the chromosomal disorders in humans, occurring in approximately 1 in...

How does experience and one’s  environment influence the early development of our brains? We’ve known for a long time that  this question does not simply boil down to “Nature” vs “”nurture”, a false dichotomy. Instead, brain development might best be thought of as a cascading interaction between nature and nurture that unfolds over time. Twenty five years ago, the National Academy of Sciences publ...

In this episode of Your Child’s Brain, Dr. Brad Schlaggar is joined by his Kennedy Krieger colleague, Dr. Doris Leung, to discuss a set of diseases of muscle that we refer to collectively as muscular dystrophy (MD). Muscular dystrophy is actually a group of rare genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of muscles. Overall, the muscular dystrophies vary in age of onset, sev...

Join Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute and Dr. Lisa Carey, the Assistant Director of the Center for Innovation and Leadership in Special Education as well as an education specialist for the Neuropsychology Department at Kennedy Krieger. Accommodations for college require self-advocacy. It is the student themselves who must request those accommodations at the school...

In the United States alone, there are nearly 20 million children with developmental, cognitive, behavioral, and/or learning disorders. It is widely recognized that the needs of children with these issues are growing in number and complexity while, at the same time, a critical shortage of access to physician specialists is resulting in delayed diagnoses, longer wait times for treatment and, consequ...