Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neuroimmune Disorders Clinic

The Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neuroimmune Disorders Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic within UT Health Austin Pediatric Neurosciences at Dell Children’s, a clinical partnership between Dell Children’s Medical Center and UT Health Austin.

Our nationally recognized providers take a family-centered approach to diagnosing and treating children of all ages with neuroimmunology disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). With our providers’ experience, our collaborative approach, and our advanced technology, we provide a wide range of services from diagnosis to disease management, rehabilitation, and more. Our goal is to achieve the best outcomes for your child so they can be as happy, healthy, and independent as possible.

The Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neuroimmune Disorders Clinic provides a transition-of-care program to ensure adolescents and young adults smoothly transition their care from a pediatric specialist to an adult specialist. This is crucial for the consistent management of complex neuroinflammatory conditions.

Multiple sclerosis and related neuroimmune disorders are a group of disorders that can affect the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. These disorders cause inflammation of the nervous system, which can lead to neurologic symptoms such as weakness, paresthesias (prickling and burning sensations, numbness), balance issues, vertigo, altered mental status, speech changes, behavioral changes, vision changes, and bowel or bladder dysfunction.

There are many types of neuroimmune disorders, including:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated disorders (MOGAD)
• Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD)
• Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
• Optic neuritis (ON)
• Transverse myelitis (TM)
• Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)
• Monophasic and relapsing demyelinating disorders not otherwise specified
• Radiologically isolated syndrome
• Autoimmune encephalitis
• Central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis

Because each disorder affects the central nervous system differently, each child’s therapy will target their immune system in a specific way. Early diagnosis for these disorders is important, as prompt and comprehensive treatment can improve your child’s outcome.

The Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neuroimmune Disorders Clinic care team takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating neuroimmune conditions. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained pediatric neuroimmunologists have extensive experience treating neuroimmunology disorders from infancy into adulthood. Depending on your child’s situation, they will coordinate care with other pediatric experts, including neurologists, neuro-ophthalmologists, infectious disease specialists, rheumatologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, neuroradiologists, social workers, registered dieticians, and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists.

To improve therapeutic options for children with neuroimmunology disorders, our team is heavily involved in clinical drug trials and other research. We also help older children seamlessly transition to adult neuroimmunology care through UT Health Austin’s Neuro-Inflammatory and Related Disorders (NIRD) Transition Support. Your child will continue to receive comprehensive medical care, disorder-specific education to help them manage their disorder, and psychosocial support. Our goal is to improve your child's overall quality of life by involving your family every step of the way.

We collaborate closely with referring physicians and other partners in the community, including general pediatricians and general neurologists, to schedule and coordinate any additional care services your child may need.

Before your child’s first appointment, our coordinator will call you to provide information about the clinic and discuss your child’s medical history. You may also be asked to fill out paperwork to make your child’s appointment as efficient as possible. During the first visit, you and your child will meet with one of our pediatric neuroimmunologists to complete a medical history and physical exam.

For more information about the Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neuroimmune Disorders Clinic, please call 1-512-628-1855. You can also call 1-512-628-1855 for referrals or fax referrals to 1-512-380-7544.

The collaboration between UT Health Austin and Dell Children's brings together medical professionals, medical school learners, and researchers who are all part of the integrated mission of transforming healthcare delivery and redesigning the academic health environment to better serve society. This collaboration allows highly specialized providers who are at the forefront of the latest research, diagnostic, and technological developments to build an integrated system of care that is a collaborative resource for clinicians and their patients.