Seattle Children’s Neurosciences Center
Compassionate, state-of-the-art care for children with nervous system disorders.
U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Seattle Children’s Neurosciences Center among the top pediatric neurology and neurosurgery programs in the country. Your child will be cared for by the very best.
Our team is among the most experienced in the nation in diagnosing and treating babies, children, teens and young adults with a broad range of conditions affecting the nervous system. Research shows that experience equals better results.
Meet Your Neurosciences Team
Our Neurosciences Center brings together the experienced specialists you need, all in one place. Meet your team.
“Our Neurosciences Center combines multidisciplinary clinical care, rapid genetic testing, and pioneering research to identify the genetic cause of a child’s condition to provide an individualized approach to treatment. Seattle Children’s is unique in our use of the most advanced guided imaging tools and techniques.”
— Dr. Rusty Novotny, director of Seattle Children’s Epilepsy program, one of the largest in the nation.
“When a child comes through our doors, they’re not meeting just one neurosurgeon. They really are taken care of by an entire team.
We have expertise in all aspects of a child’s care — pathology, neuroradiology, oncology, neurosurgery, neuropsychology. Every bit of that expertise is needed to ensure that child has the best outcome.”
— Dr. Amy Lee, Neurosciences Center co-director
Why Choose Us
Our Neurosciences Services
We offer your child a broad range of treatments and services, from the newest medications to innovative surgeries and clinical trials.
“I never would’ve thought we’d be excited for our kid to undergo a new type of brain surgery. But Giorgia needed to get back to playing softball and basketball, riding horses, and to just being a kid.”
— Christina Graham, mom of 11-year-old Giorgia
Read how our Neurosciences team pinpointed and treated the cause of Giorgia’s seizures while preserving critical functions like her ability to think, move, see and speak.
Advanced therapies through research
At Seattle Children’s, your child will have access to the most current, state-of-the-art therapies and clinical trials. Research studies help us find better ways to treat kids and young adults with neurological conditions.
Read how a clinical trial of a new drug let Grace avoid surgery on her spinal cord.
Experience + innovative tools = personalized care with better results
“Our approach is that we’re going to individualize the treatment and we want to have as many tools as possible to do that. We want to be safe, but also flexible in our thinking so that we can tailor our approach to be most helpful for each child.”
— Dr. Jeffrey Ojemann, SVP and chief medical officer.
“When a patient like Bear presents emergently, the likelihood that we’ve seen his particular condition before and can reach a surgical or conservative therapy solution quickly is very high.”
— Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, an expert on treating children with complex conditions like Chiari malformation.
Patient and Family Resources
We want you to have all the information you and your child need to understand your child’s condition and to participate in treatment.
Conditions We Treat
Patient Success Stories
Five years after surgery for a brain tumor, Liesel graduated from Harvard.
She has her sights set on a career in medicine.
Learn how we care for children and teens with brain tumors.
“The Medically Complex Child team is a huge safety net. They come to rounds early every morning, when Malachi is inpatient, and stay late to make sure we understand what was being said. They make a huge difference for our family. I love them.”
— Whitney Stohr, whose son Malachi has the most severe form of spina bifida (myelomeningocele).
Read how Seattle Children’s coordinated care for Malachi and his family.
TLC for TSC – all the care your child needs in one place
Seattle Children’s Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Clinic helps families get all the care they need in the fewest visits possible. The clinic’s core team includes experts in the nervous system, heart, kidneys, skin and other systems.
“Going through a medical journey really humbles you. Being at Seattle Children’s brought us a sense of comfort. I felt like they cared about us, not just as patients, but as people.”
— Magi Gordon, whose son Ryder was treated at Seattle Children’s, which has the only pediatric neurofibromatosis program in our region.
“By looking at him today, it’s hard to tell he’s gone through all these things. For the rest of my life, I can’t thank the team enough. I appreciate all the people who cared for us. They didn’t just support my son, they supported me. I felt like I was part of the care team.”
— Jyothi, whose son Sirish is leading an active teen life after 2 months of care for unrelenting seizures by Seattle Children’s Neurocritical Care team.
Read how our team protected Sirish’s brain while controlling his seizures.
Getting Care at the Neurosciences Center
Many children and families with neurological conditions travel to Seattle Children's for treatment or surgery. We help you coordinate transportation and housing so you can stay focused on your child. We have lots of experience helping families make the transition back home safely.
Paying for Care
Learn about paying for care at Seattle Children’s, including insurance coverage, billing and financial assistance.
Contact the Neurosciences Center at 206-987-2016 or 844-935-3467 (toll-free) for questions or more information.
If you would like an appointment, ask your child’s primary care provider for a referral.
If you have a referral, call 206-987-2016 or 844-935-3467 (toll-free).