Rebecca N. Ichord, MD

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Rebecca Ichord, MD, is a pediatric neurologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Areas of Expertise: Early diagnosis and acute treatment and outcome predictors in childhood stroke, Emergency room pediatric stroke presentation, Multicenter clinical research for pediatric stroke, Neonatal stroke, Neuroprotection after cardiac arrest, Pediatric stroke mimics, Stroke and pediatric congenital heart disease, Traumatic brain injury, Validation of the NIH Stroke Scale in children, Vasculopathy in pediatric stroke, Stroke, Brain injury, Headaches
Locations: Main Hospital; Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care

Background

Rebecca N. Ichord, MD, is a pediatric neurologist in the Division of Neurology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She specializes in early diagnosis and acute treatment and outcome predictors in childhood stroke.

It’s important to Dr. Ichord that families know that their children receive the best possible care at CHOP, “and they have comfort and hope from that knowledge,” she says.

Dr. Ichord is enthusiastic about rapidly-developing innovations in diagnosing and treating pediatric stroke, and new and effective strategies for recovery and rehabilitation.

Her research focuses on all aspects of childhood stroke, including causes, diagnosis, early treatment, prevention and rehabilitation.

Dr. Ichord contributes to CHOP’s academic mission through her teaching and research activities as Professor of Neurology  and Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Education and Training

Medical School

MD - New York Medical College and George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC

Internship

Pediatrics - Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC

Residency

Pediatrics - Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
Pediatric Neurology - Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD

Fellowship

Developmental Disabilities Fellowship - J.F. Kennedy Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Board Certification

Child Neurology – American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Pediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics

Titles and Academic Titles

Director, Pediatric Stroke Program

Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Conditions Treated

Departments and Services

Publications

Papers

2018

Porcari GS, Beslow LA, Ichord RN, Licht DJ, Kleinman JT, Jordan LC. Neurologic Outcome Predictors in Pediatric Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Prospective Study. Stroke. 2018 Jun 12. pii: STROKEAHA.118.021845. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.021845. [Epub ahead of print]

2017

Uohara MY, Beslow LA, Billinghurst L, Jones BM, Kessler SK, Licht DJ, Ichord RN. Incidence of Recurrence in Posterior Circulation Childhood Arterial Ischemic Stroke. JAMA Neurol. 2017 Mar 1;74(3):316-323. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.5166.

Lin JJ, Banwell BL, Berg RA, Dlugos DJ, Ichord RN, Kilbaugh TJ, Kirsch RE, Kirschen MP, Licht DJ, Massey SL, Naim MY, Rintoul NE, Topjian AA, Abend NS. Electrographic Seizures in Children and Neonates Undergoing Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2017 Mar;18(3):249-257. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000001067.

Billinghurst LL, Beslow LA, Abend NS, Uohara M, Jastrzab L, Licht DJ, Ichord RN. Incidence and predictors of epilepsy after pediatric arterial ischemic stroke. Neurology. 2017 Feb 14;88(7):630-637. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000003603. Epub 2017 Jan 13.

2016

Siegler JE, Banwell B, Ichord RN. Teaching NeuroImages: Intracranial vertebral dissection in a 15-year-old boy with sickle cell disease. Neurology. 2016 Dec 13;87(24):e290-e291.

Siegler JE, Ichord RN. Teaching NeuroImages: Multicompartmental intracranial hemorrhage in a pediatric patient. Neurology. 2016 Dec 6;87(23):e284.

Bernard TJ, Beslow LA, Manco-Johnson MJ, Armstrong-Wells J, Boada R, Weitzenkamp D, Hollatz A, Poisson S, Amlie-Lefond C, Lo W, deVeber G, Goldenberg NA, Dowling MM, Roach ES, Fullerton HJ, Benseler SM, Jordan LC, Kirton A, Ichord RN. Inter-Rater Reliability of the CASCADE Criteria: Challenges in Classifying Arteriopathies. Stroke. 2016 Oct;47(10):2443-9. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.013544. Epub 2016 Sep 15.

Hawks C, Jordan LC, Gindville M, Ichord RN, Licht DJ, Beslow LA. Educational Placement After Pediatric Intracerebral Hemorrhage. Pediatr Neurol. 2016 Aug;61:46-50. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2016.05.004. Epub 2016 May 10.

Nabavizadeh SA, Vossough A, Ichord RN, Kwiatkowski J, Pukenas BA, Smith MJ, Storm PB, Zager EL, Hurst RW. Intracranial aneurysms in sickle cell anemia: clinical and imaging findings. J Neurointerv Surg. 2016 Apr;8(4):434-40. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2014-011572. Epub 2015 Mar 19. 

2015

Ichord RN. Editorialist response. Neurology. 2015 Apr 14;84(15):1614.

Jordan LC, Ichord RN, Reinhartz O, Humpl T, Pruthi S, Tjossem C, Rosenthal DN. Neurological complications and outcomes in the Berlin Heart EXCOR® pediatric investigational device exemption trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015 Jan 22;4(1):e001429. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.001429.

Rivkin MJ, deVeber G, Ichord RN, Kirton A, Chan AK, Hovinga CA, Gill JC, Szabo A, Hill MD, Scholz K, Amlie-Lefond C. Thrombolysis in pediatric stroke study. Stroke. 2015 Mar;46(3):880-5. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.008210. Epub 2015 Jan 22.

Plumb P, Seiber E, Dowling MM, Lee J, Bernard TJ, deVeber G, Ichord RN, Bastian R, Lo WD. Out-of-pocket costs for childhood stroke: the impact of chronic illness on parents' pocketbooks. Pediatr Neurol. 2015 Jan;52(1):73-6.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2014.09.010. Epub 2014 Sep 28.

Ichord RN, Benedict SL, Chan AK, Kirkham FJ, Nowak-Gottl U; International Paediatric Stroke Study Group. Paediatric cerebral sinovenous thrombosis: findings of the International Paediatric Stroke Study. Arch Dis Child. 2015;100(2):174-179.

Sinclair AJ, Fox CK, Ichord RN, Almond CS, Bernard TJ, Beslow LA, Chan AK, Cheung M, deVeber G, Dowling MM, Friedman N, Giglia TM, Guilliams KP, Humpl T, Licht DJ, Mackay MT, Jordan LC. Stroke in children with cardiac disease: report from the International Pediatric Stroke Study Group Symposium. Pediatr Neurol. 2015;52(1):5-15.

2014

Dowling MM, Noetzel MJ, Rodeghier MJ, Quinn CT, Hirtz DG, Ichord RN, Kwiatkowski JL, Roach ES, Kirkham FJ, Casella JF, DeBaun MR.: Headache and Migraine in Children with Sickle Cell Disease are Associated with Lower Hemoglobin and Higher Pain Event Rates but not Silent Cerebral Infarction. J Pediatrics 164(5): 1175-1180, 2014. 

Arkuszewski M, Krejza J, Chen R, Ichord R, Kwiatkowski JL, Bilello M, Zimmerman R, Ohene-Frempong K, Melhem ER: Sickle cell anemia: Intracranial stenosis and silent cerebral infarcts in children with low risk of stroke. Adv Med Sci 59(1): 108-13, 2014. 

Binenbaum G, Christian CW, Ichord RN, Ying G, Simon MA, Romero K, Pollock AN, Forbes BJ: Retinal Hemorrhage and Brain Injury Patterns on Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Injured Children. Journal of Amer Assoc Ped Ophthalmology Strabismus 2013. 

Rhee E, Hurst R, Pukenas B, Ichord R, Cahill AM, Rossano J, Fuller S, Lin K: Mechanical embolectomy for ischemic stroke in a pediatric ventricular assist device patient. Ped Transplant 18(3): E88-92, 2014. 

Gaballah M, Storm PB, Rabinowitz D, Ichord R, Krishnamurthy G, Keller MS, McIntosh A, Hurst R, Cahill: Intra-operative Cerebral Angiography in AVM Resection in the Pediatric Population: A single institutional experience. AM J Neurosurg:Pediatrics 13(2): 222-228, 2014. 

Beslow LA, Ichord RN, Gindville MC, Kleinman JT, Bastian RA, Smith SE, Licht DJ, Hillis AE, Jordan LC: Hematoma Expansion is Common after Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Children. JAMA Neurology 71(2): 165-71, 2014. 

King AA, Strouse JJ, Rodeghier MJ, Compas BE, Casella JF, McKinstry RC, Noetzel MJ, Quinn CT, Ichord R, Dowling MM, Miller JP, DeBaun MR: Parent education and biologic factors influence on cognition in sickle cell anemia. Am J Hematology 89(2): 162-7, 2014. 

Beslow LA, Ichord RN, Gindville MC, Kleinman JT, Engelmann BA, Bastian RA, Licht DJ, Smith SE, Hillis AE, Jordan LC: The Pediatric Intracerebral Hemorrhage Score: A Simple Grading Scale for Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Children. Stroke 45(1): 66-70, 2014. 

2013

Quinn, C. T., McKinstry, R. C., Dowling, M. M., Ball, W. S., Kraut, M. A., Casella, J. F., Dlamini, N., Ichord, R. N., Jordan, L. C., Kirkham, F. J., Noetzel, M. J., Roach, E. S., Strouse, J. J., Kwiatkowski, J. L., Hirtz, D., DeBaun, M. R.: Acute silent cerebral ischemic events in children with sickle cell anemia. JAMA Neurol 70(1): 58-65, 2013. 

Lin, K. Y., Kerur, B., Witmer, C. M., Beslow, L. A., Licht, D. J., Ichord, R. N., Kaufman, B. D.: Thrombotic events in critically ill children with myocarditis. Cardiol Young 9: 1-8, 2013. 

Kranick, S. M., Campen, C. J., Kasner, S. E., Kessler, S. K., Zimmerman, R. A., Lustig, R. A., Phillips, P. C., Beslow, L. A., Ichord, R., Fisher, M. J.: Headache as a risk factor for neurovascular events in pediatric brain tumor patients. Neurology 80(16): 1452-6, 2013. 

Bruno, C. J., Beslow, L. A., Witmer, C. M., Vossough, A., Jordan, L. C., Zelonis, S., Licht, D. J., Ichord, R. N., Smith, S. E.: Haemorrhagic stroke in term and late preterm neonates. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed in press: 2013. 

Beslow, L. A., Abend, N. S., Gindville, M. C., Bastian, R. A., Licht, D. J., Smith, S. E., Hillis, A. E., Ichord, R. N., Jordan, L. C.: Pediatric intracerebral hemorrhage: acute symptomatic seizures and epilepsy. JAMA Neurol 70(4): 448-54, 2013. 

Arkuszewski, M., Krejza, J., Chen, R., Ichord, R., Kwiatkowski, J. L., Bilello, M., Zimmerman, R., Ohene-Frempong, K., Melhem, E. R.: Prevalence of intracranial stenosis and silent cerebral infarcts in children with sickle cell anemia and low risk of stroke. Int J Stroke 8(7): E50-1, 2013. 

Gaballah M, Storm PB, Rabinowitz D, Ichord R, Krishnamurthy G, Keller MS, McIntosh A, Hurst R, Cahill AM: Intra-operative Cerebral Angiography in AVM Resection in the Pediatric Population: A single institutional experience. J Neurosurg:Pediatrics in press: 2013. 

Beslow LA, Ichord RN, Gindville MC, Kleinman JT, Bastian RA, Smith SE, Licht DJ, Hillis AE, Jordan LC: Hematoma Expansion is Common after Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Children. JAMA Neurology in press: 2013. 

Binenbaum G, Christian CW, Ichord RN, Ying G, Simon MA, Romero K, Pollock AN, Forbes BJ: Retinal Hemorrhage and Brain Injury Patterns on Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Injured Children. Journal of Amer Assoc Ped Ophthalmology Strabismus 17(6): 603-8, 2013. 

Books

Chapters
2013

Sultan SA, Beslow LA, Ichord RN: Cerebral Sinus Venous Thrombosis. Pediatric Neurocritical Care Abend NS & Helfaer MA (eds.). New York:DemosMedical, 2013. 



Sultan SA, Beslow LA, Ichord RN: Cerebral Sinus Venous Thrombosis. Pediatric Neurocritical Care Abend NS & Helfaer MA (eds.). New York:DemosMedical, 2013. 



Andrade A, Ichord R, Dlamini N, deVeber G: Pediatric Stroke. SickKids Handbook of Pediatric Hemostasis and Thrombosis Blanchette V, Breakey VR, Revel-Vilk S (eds.). New York:Karger, Page: 179-193, 2013. 

Awards and Honors

2022, Philadelphia Magazine's Top Doctors in Child Neurology