Rutherford–It’s that time of year when families are preparing their children for another year of school, with hopes for a successful year. There are many expected ways in which families can help to ensure their child’s success, but there are also many unexpected obstacles they may encounter: the unexpected concussion, unforeseen anxiety or unanticipated learning struggles or delays in development. These are common occurrences among children, but there are few places parents can go for help.
Concerns such as concussions, learning differences, and anxiety–just to name a few–are connected to brain health and functioning. When struggles arise, it is important to seek help from brain specialists. Having an accurate diagnosis of what part of the brain is causing distress is the first step in finding a successful treatment.
Accessing an accurate diagnosis might take the collaboration of a few brain specialists. For example, a neurologist is a medical doctor who looks at the biological causes and contributors to a patient’s condition. A neuropsychologist looks at the relationships between psychological functioning–thinking, learning, feeling, communicating and behaving–and the functioning of the brain. Working together, these brain specialists can provide a robust picture of brain functioning related to ADHD, learning differences, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, social delays, motor deficits, mood disorders, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders, sleep disorders, tics and Tourette Syndrome, epilepsy, and the long-term adverse effects of concussions and other forms of brain injury.
As a neurologist, Mark Mintz, M.D. realized value in this collaborative approach and started an organization, nearly ten years ago, dedicated to bringing the necessary specialists together–all under one roof–to evaluate and diagnose neurological, neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric, developmental, learning, behavioral and cognitive disorders and concerns. This approach allows brain specialists to utilize objective approaches while comparing testing results in a live dialogue, which can lead to more insightful findings. This organization is The Center for Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Health, or CNNH.
This unique, patient- and family-centered method of bringing together a team of experts to work collaboratively to assess and treat each individual at CNNH using an innovative and unique “Specialty Care Medical Home®” model of health care delivery.
“The traditional approach to medicine has been a doctor-patient hierarchy,” explains Dr. Mintz, president, CEO and founder of CNNH. “We view medical care as patient and family-centered, working as a partnership with all involved to achieve success.”
In conjunction with its unique approach to health care, CNNH also offers the latest, most advanced neurodiagnostic tools and technologies available for testing brain integrity. CNNH does more than just work with each patient. The most successful outcomes are those that build a framework of support by engaging families and support teams. By reaching out to the homes, schools, and communities, CNNH helps to improve awareness and educate others about the conditions and challenges our patients and their families face.
According to Dr. Mintz fragmented medical care can be one of the most detrimental hurdles to proper treatment with any medical condition. The goal of CNNH is to provide a complete array of assessment, treatment and support services “all under one roof”, eliminating the need for individuals to seek assessment and treatment from many different specialists and organizations. “At CNNH, we have a team of specialists who can cohesively say, “This is what we see and this is how we’ll treat it.”
CNNH recently opened its doors in Rutherford, NJ at MALO Health and Wellness on Route 17. MALO is home to multiple medical specialties, providing a seamless and efficient experience for patients of Bergen County and beyond. “Having our Center at MALO just makes sense,” explains Dr. Mintz. “We are surrounded by other physicians with a similar philosophy of making patient care our number one priority.” CNNH also has locations in Camden County, Monmouth County and King of Prussia, PA. Learn more about CNNH at www.CNNH.org.
