Brain and Nervous System

Cerebrovascular disorders refer to a number of conditions that in children are typically linked to congenital malformations (conditions the child was born with), of the arteries and/or veins that circulate the blood supply throughout the brain.

A Chiari malformation is a congenital (present at birth) defect in the area of the back of the head where the brain and spinal cord connect. The condition is also called Arnold Chiari malformation.

Dysautonomia is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. This dysfunction causes many different symptoms, including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).

A headache is pain or discomfort in the head or face area. Headaches can be single or recurrent in nature, and localized to one or more areas of the head and face. The most common are tension headaches and migraine headaches. Most headaches come and go, but others may be more bothersome or may be caused by other complications.

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is excessive fluid in and around the brain. It occurs from a lack of absorption, blockage of flow, or overproduction of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) that's made inside the ventricles.

The term mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is used interchangeably with the term concussion.

As many as 80 percent of all children with neurofibromatosis will have associated difficulties that affect learning, including attention problems, memory problems, spatial perception difficulties, and selective problems in reading or mathematics.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (tumors that develop in the cells surrounding the nerves on the brain and spinal cord) may occur in up to five percent of patients with neurofibromatosis during their lifetime.

Migraine headaches are usually characterized by symptoms such as periods of excessive vomiting, severe abdominal pain, nausea and periods of dizziness lasting minutes to hours at a time.

NF1 is a life-long condition usually diagnosed early in life, often within the first year. NF1 is diagnosed based on specific skin, ocular, and other physical findings, and genetic blood testing in selected cases.