Pediatric Neuro-immunology Program

Autoimmune disorders are diseases in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue. These disorders can affect many different parts of the body. In our Pediatric Neuro Immunology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, we care for children and adolescents who have autoimmune disorders that affect their central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). These diseases are referred to as neuro-immune disorders. They include:

• opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome (“dancing eyes syndrome”)
• central nervous system vasculitis
• Hashimoto’s encephalopathy
• lupus
• auto-immuneencephalitis

One major group of neuro-immune conditions is “demyelinating” disorders, in which the immune system damages the protective covering of nerves, myelin. Children with these conditions are cared for in a related program at Boston Children’s, ourPediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Program.These disorders include:

• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
• acute transverse myelitis (ATM)
• optic neuritis

There is an overlap between autoimmune and infectious conditions that affect the nervous system. Infections of the nervous system can be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi. Our neuro immunology program also cares for children with a variety of infectious conditions and the consequences of these infections. These conditions include but are not limited to:

• Acute flaccid myelitis(AFM)
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis(EEE)
• West Nile Virus(WNV)
• Cytomegalovirus(CMV)
• Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
• Powassan Virus (PV)

We are dedicated to providing comprehensive care for children and families affected by these rare disorders.

Comprehensive care

Many of these disorders involve not only the nervous system but other parts of the body, as well. Depending on your child’s individual case, we work with other Boston Children’s specialists who have expertise in caring for children with these conditions. These include:

• Rheumatology, in the Samara Jan Turkel Clinical Center for Pediatric Autoimmune Disease
• Oncology
• Endocrinology
• Nutrition
• Psychiatry
• Opthalmology

Our program is designed to support all of the needs that your child and family may have as your child is being treated.