Paediatric Neurology

The Department of Paediatric Neurology is part of the School of Clinical Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Its research strengths lie in genetic neuromuscular disorders, congenital hypotonia and spinal muscular atrophy, including work on the burden and molecular spectrum of STAC3-related myopathy in African populations. A further theme is bone health in chronic illness and glucocorticoid exposure in children.

The department also publishes on neuroinfectious and inflammatory conditions, including rare parasitic central nervous system infections, COVID-19 related neurological syndromes and acute necrotising encephalopathy. Its studies are clinically grounded and focused on sub-Saharan Africa, particularly South Africa.