25 of the Best Child Neurologists Near Me in Washington, DC

William D. Gaillard, MD, professor of neurology and neurophysiology, is chief of the Divisions of Child Neurology and of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology. He is director of the Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Program — one of the leading multidisciplinary pediatric epilepsy programs in the country. As associate director of the Children’s National Research Institute’s Center for Neuroscience Research, he is responsible for overseeing and organizing clinical neuroscience research. Dr. Gaillard is professor of pediatrics and neurology at the George Washington University School of Medicine; Professor of Neurology, Georgetown University; and Adjunct Professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park. Additionally, Dr. Gaillard holds longstanding collaborations with the Clinical Epilepsy Section (CES), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and NIH. His innovative research utilizes advanced structural and functional imaging to examine the effects of epilepsy on brain structure and function. His pioneering work with functional imaging has changed clinical practice for patients with epilepsy, made important technical contributions to structural and functional imaging methods, and provided fundamental scientific insights on the biology of brain plasticity. Ultimately, the goal of his research is to improve the outcomes and lives of children with epilepsy. Dr. Gaillard is a past president of the American Epilepsy Society. He is past treasurer of the American Epilepsy Society, past chair of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Commission on Diagnostics, past chair of the ILAE Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Task Force and past member of the Pediatric Commission. He is a past editor of Epilepsy Research and a past editor of Epilepsia. He is the author of more than 240 peer-reviewed scientific papers and more than 50 chapters and holds longstanding federal and foundation grant funding. Dr. Gaillard is highly rated in 28 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Epilepsy, Seizures, Status Epilepticus, Liver Embolization, and Deep Brain Stimulation. Dr. Gaillard is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, Pediatrics: American Board Of Pediatrics, 2005, and American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 1992.

John M. Schreiber, MD, FAES, is the Associate Chief of Epilepsy and EEG Operations, Medical Director of EEG and the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and the director of Epilepsy Genetics at Children's National Hospital. After earning his medical degree cum laude at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he completed Pediatrics and Child Neurology training at Children’s National Hospital. Before returning in 2013, he served as an Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellow at the National Institutes of Health, gaining experience in epilepsy clinical trials and in neurogenetic disorders. His primary clinical and research interests are on the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of genetically-mediated epilepsies, particularly channelopathies. Dr. Schreiber is the principal investigator at Children’s National for various epilepsy observational and interventional clinical trials with a focus on neurogenetic disorders. He serves on the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium board, is the co-chair for the Investigators' Workshop Committee of the American Epilepsy Society, and serves on the Epilepsy Foundation Professional Advisory Board and several other advisory boards. Publications PUBMED. Dr. Schreiber is highly rated in 15 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Epilepsy, Myoclonic Epilepsy, Seizures, and Epilepsy with Myoclonic-Atonic Seizures. Dr. Schreiber is board certified in Epilepsy: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2016, American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2013, and American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2011.

Tesfaye Zelleke is a Pediatric Neurologist practicing medicine in Washington, Washington, D.c.. He has been practicing medicine for over 41 years. Dr. Zelleke is highly rated in 7 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Epilepsy, Seizures, Cortical Dysplasia, and Absence Seizure. Dr. Zelleke is board certified in Clinical Neurophysiology: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2011, American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2009, and Pediatrics: American Board Of Pediatrics, 2004.

Youssef A. Kousa, MS, DO, PhD, is a physician-scientist specializing in neonatal neurology at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. During his pediatric internship, he founded an international, trans-disciplinary research team, the Prenatal Infection and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Consortium, to study the 2015 Zika virus pandemic and model human genetic modifiers in neuroinfectious diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. The goal of this group is disease prevention by integrating and leveraging team science, systems biology and genomics. Dr. Kousa is the principal investigator of the Consortium, which now includes 19 co-investigators representing 13 different institutions. Partnering with the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Consortium is bringing together mother-infant dyad cohorts with 12,000 participants throughout the Western Hemisphere. Dr. Kousa completed a combined pediatrics and child neurology residency at Children’s National and the DO-PhD Physician Scientist Training Program at Michigan State University. Through graduate and post-graduate research training, he has focused on human genetics, genetic engineering, developmental biology, immunology and virology. His accomplishments include creation of an adenovirus-based malaria vaccine, discovery of a conserved gene regulatory network in craniofacial and neural tube development, 30 peer-reviewed publications, and multiple national and international invited research presentations. His awards and honors span academic, research, service and leadership roles, including the highest honors possible at Michigan State University for a graduate and medical student. Dr. Kousa directs the Perinatal Neuroinfections Clinic at Children’s National and is an instructor in Neurology, Pediatrics, and Genomics and Precision Medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C. Prenatal Infection and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Consortium Publications Google Scholar|ORCiD. Dr. Kousa is highly rated in 2 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Popliteal Pterygium Syndrome, Van Der Woude Syndrome, Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, Anencephaly, and Liver Embolization. Dr. Kousa is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2020.

Diana Bharucha is a Pediatric Neurologist practicing medicine in Washington, Washington, D.c.. Dr. Bharucha is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Giant Axonal Neuropathy, Dysferlinopathy, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, and Miyoshi Myopathy.

William McClintock, MD, has been practicing pediatric neurology for the past 30 years. He is a faculty member in the departments of pediatrics and neurology for the George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences. He is also a member of the neurology department at Children’s National Hospital, and is the chief of the neurology division for Pediatric Specialists of Virginia. Dr. McClintock graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and received his neurology training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Dr. McClintock is the medical director of the Tuberous Sclerosis Clinic of the National Capital Area. He is an examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He has earned Children's National Department of Neurology Outstanding Teacher Award for multiple years. His research interests include headaches and tuberous sclerosis. Dr. Mcclintock is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Tuberous Sclerosis, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Cortical Dysplasia, and West Syndrome. Dr. Mcclintock is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 1988 and Pediatrics: American Board Of Pediatrics, 1983.

Dana Harrar, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. She serves as the director of the Pediatric Critical Care Neurology Program and Pediatric Stroke Program at Children’s National Hospital. Dr. Harrar cares for patients within the Critical Care Neurology and Intensive Care Unit EEG services. She is board-certified in neurology with special qualifications in child neurology, clinical neurophysiology and neurocritical care. Her research areas of interest include acute pediatric stroke and critical care EEG monitoring. Dr. Harrar is highly rated in 3 conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Seizures, Status Epilepticus, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Absence Seizure, and Thrombectomy. Dr. Harrar is board certified in Clinical Neurophysiology: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2019 and American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2016.

Steven Stasheff is a Pediatric Neurologist practicing medicine in Washington, Washington, D.c.. He has been practicing medicine for over 34 years. Dr. Stasheff is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Neurofibromatosis, Optic Glioma, Gomez Lopez Hernandez Syndrome, and Marcus Gunn Phenomenon. Dr. Stasheff is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 1999.

Marc DiSabella, DO, is an associate professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., which is consistently ranked one of the best pediatric neurology and neurosurgery programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Dr. DiSabella serves as director of the Headache Program and was promoted to associate chief of Neurology Operations in 2024. Previously, he served 13 years as the Child Neurology Residency Program director where he graduated nearly 50 child neurology residents who now serve as division chiefs, VPs and have amassed millions in grant funding. Dr. DiSabella obtained his master's degree in leadership and education at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences and enjoys teaching and engaging his students and colleagues in educational innovation and improved teaching sessions. He currently has 10 industry sponsored clinical trials on which he serves as primary investigator in addition to a busy clinical practice. Dr. Disabella is highly rated in 5 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH), Migraine, Migraine with Brainstem Aura, and Opisthotonos. Dr. Disabella is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2008.

Ersida Buraniqi is a Pediatric Neurologist practicing medicine in Washington, Washington, D.c.. She has been practicing medicine for over 11 years. Dr. Buraniqi is highly rated in 4 conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Seizures, Epilepsy in Children, Epilepsy, Hemimegalencephaly, and Liver Embolization. Dr. Buraniqi is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2024 and Neurology With Special Qualification In Child Neurology: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2023.

Alexandra Wood, MD, is a neurologist at Children’s National Hospital. She is also an assistant professor of neurology and the medical student clerkship co-director at the George Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Wood graduated from Saint Louis University School of Medicine and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin. After completing her residency, she worked for two years at the University of Virginia before moving to Washington, D.C., where she practices general child neurology with a special interest in headache. Dr. Wood is passionate about medical education, both of future physicians and for her patients and their families. Her goal at each visit is for the patient and their family to fully understand their diagnosis and treatment plan. Publications: ORCID. Dr. Wood is highly rated in 3 conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Seizures, Genetic Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures Plus (GEFS+), Partial Familial Epilepsy, and Memory Loss. Dr. Wood is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2023.

Marc DiFazio, MD, is the vice president of Access at Children’s National Hospital and is certified in adult and pediatric neurology. He completed his pediatric and neurology training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and went on to become the chief of the Child Neurology Service at Walter Reed, where he served on active duty until 2005 before transitioning to private practice in Rockville, MD. Dr. DiFazio is well-known in the metropolitan area and pediatric community for his service, leadership and expertise in clinical child neurology, with interests and concentration in the areas of Tourette syndrome, headache/migraine, concussion, behavioral neurology/autism and the use of botulinum toxin in a variety of conditions. In his role as vice president of Access, Dr. DiFazio works to facilitate patient access to care and supporting operational excellence. Dr. DiFazio has served 28 years in the Army Medical Corps, and he recently finished his service obligation in his final assignment as Command Surgeon of USAR Legal Command. Dr. Difazio is highly rated in 3 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Benign Rolandic Epilepsy, Tourette Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and Landau-Kleffner Syndrome. Dr. Difazio is board certified in Epilepsy: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2018, Neurology With Special Qualification In Child Neurology: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2001, and Pediatrics: American Board Of Pediatrics, 1994.

Bennett Lavenstein, MD, serves as the Movement Disorders Program Director at Children’s National Hospital. He is a professor of neurology and pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Science. Dr, Lavenstein's clinical interests include movement disorders and pharmacology; his research interests include deep brain stimulation, as well as therapeutics in movement disorders. Dr. Lavenstein is highly rated in 2 conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Mitochondrial Complex 3 Deficiency, Drug Induced Dyskinesia, Tourette Syndrome, Myoclonus-Dystonia, and Deep Brain Stimulation. Dr. Lavenstein is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 1979 and Pediatrics: American Board Of Pediatrics, 1977.

Wei-Liang Chen, MD, specialized in child neurology and genetics with focus on epilepsy, infantile spasm, brain malformation and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Chen is in charge of treatment trials in epilepsy. He is the site investigator in a national research consortium, Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC) Infantile Spasm group. He is also the principal investigator for the Epileptic Encephalopathy program at Children's National Hospital and serves as co-investigator in several other research projects focusing on neurogenetic diseases, neurometabolic disorders and functional neuroimaging. Dr. Chen is highly rated in 1 condition, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Megalencephaly-Capillary Malformation Syndrome, Seizures, Epilepsy, and Landau-Kleffner Syndrome. Dr. Chen is board certified in American Board Of Medical Genetics And Genomics, 2021, Clinical Neurophysiology: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2019, and Neurology With Special Qualification In Child Neurology: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2018.

Juma Mbwana, MD, joins Children's National Hospital from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He is a graduate of Yale College with a B.S. in biomedical engineering and the Morehouse School of Medicine. He completed training in pediatrics at the Yale-New Haven Hospital as well as training in adult and child neurology at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). At the completion of his training at CHOP, Dr. Mbwana was given the Meg Olivia Barkman Award, an annual award that recognizes neurology residents who demonstrate clinical excellence and a compassionate approach to care. Dr. Mbwana's research interests include projects that utilize biomedical engineering innovations and emerging technologies for clinical neuroscience advancement. Having lived in the Middle East and Africa in childhood, Dr. Mbwana has a personal interest in global health issues and during his pediatric residency, he participated in the Yale Pediatric Refugee Clinic. He enjoys gardening and spending time outdoors. Dr. Mbwana is highly rated in 1 condition, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Seizures, Epilepsy, Absence Seizure, and Epilepsy in Children. Dr. Mbwana is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2017.

Christine Tran is a Pediatric Neurologist practicing medicine in Washington, Washington, D.c.. Dr. Tran is highly rated in 3 conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Genetic Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures Plus (GEFS+), Seizures, and Epilepsy.

Paola Pergami is a primary care provider, practicing in Pediatric Neurologist in Washington, Washington, D.c.. Dr. Pergami is highly rated in 1 condition, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Stroke, Dandy-Walker Syndrome, Memory Loss, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, and Craniectomy.

Elizabeth Wells, MD, MHS, is the executive vice president, chief clinical officer and physician-in-chief. Dr. Wells has executive oversight for ensuring optimal delivery of clinical care while fostering an environment that supports research, education and operational excellence. In her previous role as senior vice president of the Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine Center, she grew programmatic and research impact across multidisciplinary destination programs, quality and safety, and patient experience across the care continuum for brain injury and disorders, mental and behavioral health, and neurodevelopmental conditions. Dr. Wells previously held leadership roles in clinical research administration and served as president of the Children’s National Medical Staff from 2020 to 2021 and Credentials Committee chair from 2022 to 2023. Dr. Wells is a graduate of Harvard University and the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She holds a master’s degree in health science from the NIH/Duke Clinical Research Training Program. She completed pediatrics and neurology training at Children’s National and served as a pediatric neurologist within the Brain Tumor Institute and the Division of Neurology, rising to the rank of professor in Pediatrics, Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Wells serves on the board for the Pediatric Specialists of Virginia, is past president of the Washington Clinico-Pathological Society and a graduate of Leadership Greater Washington's 2022 Signature class. In her new leadership role, Dr. Wells provides strategic, financial and administrative leadership across five centers of excellence, general pediatrics and multiple institutes, including about 3,000 employees, to advance high-quality outcomes and integrated services. Her clinical expertise encompasses West Syndrome, Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), Medulloblastoma, and Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis. Dr. Wells is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2011.

Thuy-Anh Vu, MD, has worked at Children’s National Hospital and Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV) since 2015. She sees patients for ketogenic diet via telehealth at Children’s National. She sees neurology patients in person and via telehealth at PSV with an interest in epilepsy. Dr. Vu is able to discuss treatments with medications, epilepsy surgery and dietary therapies with patients and families in her care. Her clinical expertise encompasses Seizures, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), and Memory Loss. Dr. Vu is board certified in Epilepsy: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2017 and American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2014.

Thanh Nguyen, MD, sees patients in the Division of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology. She speaks fluent Vietnamese. Her clinical expertise encompasses GM1 Gangliosidosis, Gangliosidosis, Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy, and Seizures. Dr. Nguyen is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2014 and Pediatrics: American Board Of Pediatrics, 2009.

Fellows are fully credentialed, board-certified providers who can independently practice medicine but are in further training in their specialty. This specialty training is under the supervision of an attending physician. Her clinical expertise encompasses Focal or Multifocal Malformations in Neuronal Migration, Hemimegalencephaly, Increased Head Circumference, Hydrocephalus, and Liver Embolization.

Alexander Andrews, MD, is a pediatric epileptologist at Children’s National Hospital. He completed undergraduate training at Yale University with a degree in political science. Dr. Andrews graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed a pediatric residency at Children’s National and pediatric neurology residency at Children’s National. After completing his residency, he completed an epilepsy fellowship at the George Washington University Hospital. While at Children’s National, Dr. Andrews established CIENA (La Clínica Integral de Epilepsia para Niños y Adolescentes), a multidisciplinary clinic of Spanish language-certified providers caring for both the patient and family with medical and psychological support. Dr. Andrews has published over 10 peer-reviewed manuscripts related to the use of electroencephalography in improving diagnostic and prognostic ability in neuro-invasive infectious diseases, his primary area of research. He works closely as a neurophysiologist consultant for clinical staff of the Blantyre Malaria Project (Blantyre, Malawi) in efforts to expand the reach and utility of electroencephalography for sick children globally. He has presented at national and international meetings on topics related to epilepsy care and on his research. Dr. Andrews is board certified in pediatrics (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2023), in neurology with special qualification in child neurology (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2019), and in epilepsy (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2020). He serves on the International Affairs Committee of the Child Neurology Society and is a member of the American Academy of Neurology. Publications: ORCID PUBMED. His clinical expertise encompasses Seizures, Spasmus Nutans, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, and Epilepsy. Dr. Andrews is board certified in American Board Of Pediatrics, 2023, American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2020, and American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2019.

Kelsey Christoffel, MD, is a neurologist specializing in Prenatal-Neonatal Neurology and Neurocritical Care. She received her medical degree from the University of Minnesota in 2016 and completed her residency in Child Neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 2021. She then furthered her clinical and research training with a fellowship in Fetal-Neonatal Neurology at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. As an attending neurologist at Children’s National Hospital, she provides a continuum of neurologic care from the prenatal period into childhood. Her research focuses on finding fetal brain imaging markers to better predict neurodevelopmental outcomes in conditions where prognostic accuracy is currently lacking. She enjoys teaching residents and fellows about the developing brain and making complex topics understandable for parents. Her clinical expertise encompasses Corpus Callosum Agenesis, Cortical Dysplasia, Focal or Multifocal Malformations in Neuronal Migration, and Periventricular Heterotopia. Dr. Christoffel is board certified in Neurology With Special Qualification In Child Neurology: American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2021.

Mejdi Najjar, MD, is an assistant professor of neurology and pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and a member of the critical care neurology, stroke and epilepsy teams at Children's National Hospital. Dr Najjar completed his pediatrics, child neurology and epilepsy/neurocritical care training at Children's National Hospital. He provides neurological care for critically ill children in the Pediatric ICU, Cardiac ICU, as well as in the outpatient setting in the stroke, epilepsy and Neuro ICU follow-up programs. Dr. Najjar’s interests include pediatric neurocritical care, epilepsy, neuromonitoring, traumatic brain injury and pediatric stroke with an emphasis on improving clinical outcomes after brain injury. Publications PubMed. His clinical expertise encompasses Islet Cell Transplantation. Dr. Najjar is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology and American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 2023.

Fellows are fully credentialed, board-certified providers who can independently practice medicine but are in further training in their specialty. This specialty training is under the supervision of an attending physician. Her clinical expertise encompasses Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). Dr. Sahjwani is board certified in Pediatrics: American Board Of Pediatrics, 2023.