The Gilbert Family Neurofibromatosis Institute

Helping Children With Neurofibromatosis

Our dedication to your child’s health and well-being is why we’ve brought together some of the best and brightest minds on our medical and research teams. 

Our program offers:

• Expertise. Our clinical/translational team is led by Roger J. Packer, M.D., an internationally-recognized pediatric neurologist who brings his unique depth of experience in innovative clinical research, diagnosis and treatment.
• A team approach. From neurologists to eye experts (neuro-ophthalmologists) to geneticists to oncologists, our world-class sub-specialist team is experienced in meeting the complete, unique needs of each neurofibromatosis patient.
• Support. Having a child with neurofibromatosis can affect your entire family, and we are here to help. We offer services to meet your family’s emotional, spiritual and mental health needs. We were also one of the first programs in the world to offer a summer camp just for children with neurofibromatosis. Camp New Friends is the largest neurofibromatosis summer camp on the East Coast.

World-Class Neurofibromatosis Care at Children’s National

We offer highly specialized treatments for your child, some of which are only available at Children’s National. In fact, we have successfully treated conditions and complications that were previously thought to be untreatable. Using a personalized approach, we coordinate treatments, therapies and support to relieve symptoms while protecting your child from long-term complications.

Highlights of the world-class neurofibromatosis care and programs at Children’s National include:

• Neurologic, neuro-oncologic and oncology care. Our clinical team led by Dr. Packer, Aerang Kim, M.D., Ph.D., (pediatric oncologist, Malignant Peripheral Nervous System Tumor Program director), Benjamin Siegel, M.D., (pediatric neurologist and neuro-oncologist), and Sinan Turnacioglu, M.D., (neurodevelopmental pediatrician) provides unparalleled care and develops and leads national and international studies providing innovative, life-changing care.
• Life-changing therapeutic studies. The Gilbert Family Neurofibromatosis Program, a founding member of the Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium and other national consortium (Sarcoma Alliance, Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium) offers therapeutic options available in few programs around the world.

• Ophthalmologic expertise. Steven Stasheff, M.D., within our Division of Neuro-Ophthalmology, specializes in caring for complications affecting your child’s vision with a special emphasis on neurologic complications and visual pathway gliomas. We offer treatments that can improve or save your child’s eyesight.
• Cognitive rehabilitation. Kristina Hardy, Ph.D., and Karin Walsh, Psy.D., lead pioneering efforts to improve working memory and brain functioning through cognitive rehabilitation. This therapy uses computer exercises to strengthen specific brain activities.
• Genetic expertise and care. Led by Kenneth Rosembaum, M.D. (pediatric geneticist) the program has a long tradition of integration of genetics and genetic counseling into NF1 and NF2 care.
• Laboratory/translational research. In addition to our unmatched clinical trials experience, which gives your child access to new medications, including targeted therapies, and soon immunologic therapies, our laboratory-based research program under the direction of Yuan Zhu, Ph.D., (scientific director of the Gilbert Family Neurofibromatosis Institute) and now with the addition of Javad Nazarian, Ph.D., M.Sc., the program is performing laboratory research which focuses on NF1-related low-grade glioma, transformed gliomas, plexiform neurofibromas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors to develop new therapeutic approaches for these NF1 complications. Ours is one of the largest NF1-dedicated research programs in the world and provides its clinicians new avenues to explore to improve outcomes.
• Family of other specialists. Given the complexity of the needs of children and families with NF1 and NF2, in addition to the daily involvement of neurology, genetics, oncology, neuro-ophthalmology and neuropsychology, there is active involvement in the multidisciplinary clinic by developmental pediatrics, orthopedics (Dr. Oetgen), Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Dr. Shin), psychiatry, psychology, ENT, endocrinology, plastic surgery, neurosurgery and hearing and speech.
• Adult care. Physicians board-certified in both pediatric and adult neurology ensure a smooth transition to adult care. If your child’s case is complex, he or she can stay at Children’s National. We are one of few pediatric programs in the country capable of caring for adults.