Department of Pediatric Neurology was founded in 1980. From the time of its creation and until 2010, the department was headed by professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Belarus, G.G.Shanko, and since 2010 until present, the department has been headed by L.V.Shalkevich, Candidate of Medical Sciences, associate professor. At different times, the staff was represented by the following specialists: associate professors A.M.Shevchenko, N.M.Charukhina, Z.A.Chuiko, assistants S.V.Khodosovskaya, V.V.Shevtsova and L.I.Yasinskaya.
The department has two clinical bases: Republican Scientific and Practical Center «Mother and Child» and the 3rd Minsk City Clinical Hospital. Republican Scientific and Practical Center «Mother and Child» is a leading establishment of the Republic of Belarus in the field of pediatrics, hereditary and congenital diseases. It has a huge medical and diagnostic base, which helps to study pediatric neurology on a high-technology level. At the 3rd Pediatric Clinical Hospital, there is City Pediatric Neurology Center, which consists of a city advisory room and Neurology Division for children from the first months of life to 18 years. Lectures are also given at Minsk City Center for Medical Rehabilitation of Children with Psychoneurological Diseases and Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery.
At different times, specialists of the Department of Pediatric Neurology have published more than 2000 scientific works, including 14 monographs, 7 clinical guidelines, 4 manuals on pediatrics and neurology, 5 popular science books and encyclopaedia and etc. They have received 30 certificates for rationalization proposals, and published more than 100 methodological recommendations, teaching aids and etc. Specialists of the department have developed qualification requirements for pediatric neurologists, and more than 1000 diagnostics tasks of the computer attestation of pediatric neurologists.
Specialists of the department give consultations to complicated neurology patients from all parts of the Republic of Belarus.
The main aims of the Department of Pediatric Neurology:
- preparation of highly-qualified medical staff, working in the field of pediatric neurology;
- conduction of scientific investigations on the most actual problems of pediatric neurology;
- implementation of new research methods into clinical practice, diagnostics and treatment of neurological diseases in children and teenagers;
- improvement of the highly efficient methods of rehabilitation of children and teenagers, who suffered from neurological diseases;
- provision of children and teenagers, suffered from neurological diseases, with highly effective specialized medical care;
- provision of children and teenagers of the Republic of Belarus with highly effective advisory assistance;
- to increase public awareness of neurological disorders in children.
Advanced training courses at the Department of Pediatric Neurology in 2020:
- Innovative methods of diagnostics and treatment of paroxysmal states in children (for neurologists, pediatricians, general practitioners) – 1 month;
- Neurology in pediatrics (for neurologists, pediatricians and neonatologists, general practitioners – 1 month;
- Diseases of peripheral and vegetative nervous system in children (for neurologists, pediatricians, general practitioners) – 1 month;
- Emergency conditions in pediatric neurology (for neurologists, pediatricians and neonatologists, general practitioners, emergency physicians – 1 month;
- Basics of early management of children with developmental disorders (for neurologists, pediatrician and neonatologists, general practitioners, rehabilitation physicians – 1 month;
- Modern methods of diagnostics and treatment of children with neuropsychiatric disorders (for neurologists, pediatrician and neonatologists, general practitioners, rehabilitation physicians – 1 month;
The target of the courses for the trainees is to get acquainted with new researches in the field of neurology, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, genetics and epidemiology of nervous diseases in children.
The lectures are given according to the approved educational programs, which cover the main issues of etiology, pathogenesis, clinics and therapy of nervous diseases in children. The lecturers and the trainees discuss the latest achievements in pediatric neurology and the problems of the teaching methodology.
For better academic results, mastering of practical and theoretical skills and knowledge of trainees, before each lecture there are reviews in a form of quiz, also trainees write academic medical case histories, actively participate in doing rounds, consultations and consilia; during the classes there are basic, midterm and final assessment.
Fields of research activities:
- diagnostics and treatment of epilepsy and convulsive states in children;
- organization of medical care, development of the methods of diagnostics and treatment of congenital neuromuscular diseases in children;
- study of the normal state and pathology of the nervous system in newborns and children of early age;
- neurological disorders, their prevention and medical rehabilitation of premature infants;
- development of innovative methods of rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy;
- disorders of psycho-speech development in children of early age;
- formation of healthy lifestyle in children.
Academic research work is dedicated to the study of different neurological disorders of children: nervous system pathology of newborns and infants, paroxysmal states (epilepsy), headaches (browache, tension headache, symptomatic headaches), cerebrovascular pathology.