Neonatal Vasculopathy and Post-Surgical Stroke

The 18^th IPSO Challenging Case Conference Series took place on: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 10am PT/ 1pm ET/ 6pm GMT

Speakers

Alyssa-Claire Mendoza, MD

Dr. Mendoza, a pediatric neurologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, USA. She will present on two patients with neonatal stroke in the setting of presumed small/medium inflammatory vasculopathy related to incontinentia pigmenti. One patient had acute symptomatic seizures and neonatal encephalopathy, therefore was treated with a course of steroids for management of inflammatory vasculopathy while the other was not treated with steroids as they had a smaller stroke burden, no concern for seizures, and reassuring examination.

Shelley Dean, OTD, OTR/L

Dr. Dean is an Occupational Therapist at Crossway Pediatrics Therapy, USA. She will present on an 8-year-old female with history of central brain cavernous malformation resected at age 4, complicated by vascular stroke resulting in left hemiparesis. Current presentation includes spastic left-sided weakness requiring AFO/SMO for ambulation and hand bracing, along with dystonia affecting movement quality. She experiences chronic migraines and has been diagnosed with dyslexia, impacting academic performance. While demonstrating good motivation and progress with lower extremity rehabilitation, she exhibits learned non-use of the left upper extremity with poor engagement in occupational therapy despite ongoing intervention. She also gets botox injections in the arm/thumb fingers. Family reports concern regarding apparent plateau in upper extremity function and lack of spontaneous left arm use in daily activities.

Panelists

Ellen Grant, MD

Neuroradiologist – Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, United States

Christine Mrakotsky, PhD

Neuropsychologist – Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, United States