Coordinated care made simple

At Children’s Minnesota, we know that having a child with a brain or nervous system disorder can be stressful for the whole family. That’s why we make it our mission to provide expert care that’s efficient and coordinated at the same time.

For your convenience, our neuroscience programs are mainly concentrated on our Minneapolis campus. Here you’ll find our inpatient unit, neurosurgery suite, neonatal neuro-intensive care unit, sleep lab and outpatient clinics. Plus plenty of little extras — smiles, hallway trikes, furry monkeys on stethoscopes — that show kids we’re here for them.

Arriving at Children’s neuroscience program

There are all kinds of ways kids come into Children’s neuroscience program. A few of the most common ones:

• At birth. Babies who are born early or are at-risk for brain injury may be transferred to the neonatal neuro-intensive care unit. Depending on where your baby is born, you may arrive by ambulance, helicopter or plane.
• From the emergency room. Children’s neuroscience team assists the emergency department and trauma center in evaluating and treating brain- and spine-related emergencies. Some kids are admitted directly to the neuroscience unit from the ER.
• From another hospital. When a child needs specialized treatment for a brain or nervous system issue, hospitals across the region know Children’s is one of the best. We arrange transfers that get kids to the right level of care.
• From a doctor’s referral. Pediatricians in the Twin Cities and across the country trust Children’s for their patients’ brain and nervous system care. And many families request our services after hearing about us from other families.

The Lee and Penny Anderson Epilepsy Unit will be your home away from home during epilepsy monitoring or neurosurgery.

Tips for clinic visits

Meeting a new doctor can be intimidating. So depending on your child’s age, ECG (Electrocardiogram) with your child. Show your child a photo of the doctor from our directory. With younger kids, it may also help to draw pictures or act out the upcoming visit with a stuffed animal as the patient. Encourage older kids to write down their questions for the doctor.

Arriving for your appointment

Please arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment so we can complete the registration and insurance process. That way, we can more quickly concentrate on what’s most important —taking great care of your child. Remember to bring your ID and insurance card.

• Late Arrivals: If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment start time, you may need to wait, see a different clinician, or we may need to reschedule your appointment for another day.
• No Shows: If you need to cancel, please notify us at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

For more information, please read our full appointment policy.

For more tips, see the “What to Expect” page for the clinical program you’re visiting.

Continuing the care journey

As your child’s care journey progresses, we’ll partner with you to make the next steps as smooth and stress-free as possible. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please let us know.