Jennifer Heim, MD, recently joined Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Movement Disorders Program, part of CHOP’s Neuroscience Center and one of the few dedicated pediatric programs of its kind in the country. Prior to CHOP, Dr. Heim completed her child neurology residency and pediatric movement disorder fellowship at Pheonix Children’s Hospital in Arizona, where she then worked as an attending.
In this Q&A, she reflects on the specialty that “chose” her, her clinical interests, and her thoughtful, strategic approach to patient care.
Q. What led you to the field of pediatric movement disorders?
In medical school, I was really interested in pediatrics. I initially thought I was going to do med-peds or general pediatrics. When I did my neurology rotation early in my third year, I found it really interesting. I liked how the physical exam could help you localize what you see on imaging. But I still wanted to work with kids, so pediatric neurology felt like a good fit. A lot of my mentors encouraged me to go in that direction. They said your specialty chooses you, and that was definitely the case for me.
Q. Is there a specific condition you are most interested in?
In Pheonix, I saw a wide variety of patients, and I found myself gravitating toward movement disorder patients. I worked with a mentor who specialized in movement disorders and did a lot of work with tics and Tourette’s. This can be a challenging population, but it’s also very rewarding.
Families often come in very worried because of misconceptions they’ve seen on social media or TV. It’s reassuring to them when I explain the natural history — that tics are more common in childhood and can improve over time. In addition, children often aren’t as bothered by their tics as their caregivers are. We focus on whether the tics are interfering with activities, causing pain or any negative social consequences. If the answer is yes, then there are treatments, including medications and therapies like comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT). Reassurance and education are a big part of what we do, especially compared to other neurological conditions that can be much more serious.
I'm also very interested in genetic movement disorders. I have experience with precision therapies, such as deep brain stimulation, and I look forward to becoming more involved with the Advanced Tone Management Clinic.
Q. How do you approach working with patients and their families?
I always try to understand the context — age, comorbidities, function. For example, my approach is different for a child with severe cerebral palsy than it is for a school-aged child with new movements.
Taking a detailed history is key, and I often ask parents to bring in videos of their child exhibiting the movement. Videos can be incredibly helpful since movements don’t always happen in the office. Once we determine there’s not an underlying issue that needs further investigation, I focus on how the movements impact function.
For complex patients, I often ask, “What’s the biggest problem right now?” If we can address the biggest issue, everything else usually improves a bit, without necessarily needing multiple medications.
Q. What do you most enjoy about working with children with movement disorders?
The most gratifying thing about working with children is that you get to watch them grow up. I’ve followed some patients from infancy through childhood and celebrated milestones with their families. It's incredibly rewarding to be there for successes as well as challenges. As the field advances, we're able to offer patients with chronic conditions more effective and more personalized treatments. Witnessing this growth and advancement is the best part of my job.
Q. What do you like doing outside of work?
I’m interested in music; I play guitar and violin. I love spending time with my family. My brother convinced me to do a triathlon last year, and I’m doing another one soon. I also like birdwatching, hiking and being outdoors.
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Jennifer Heim, MD, recently joined Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Movement Disorders Program, part of CHOP’s Neuroscience Center and one of the few dedicated pediatric programs of its kind in the country. Prior to CHOP, Dr. Heim completed her child neurology residency and pediatric movement disorder fellowship at Pheonix Children’s Hospital in Arizona, where she then worked as an attending.
In this Q&A, she reflects on the specialty that “chose” her, her clinical interests, and her thoughtful, strategic approach to patient care.
Q. What led you to the field of pediatric movement disorders?
In medical school, I was really interested in pediatrics. I initially thought I was going to do med-peds or general pediatrics. When I did my neurology rotation early in my third year, I found it really interesting. I liked how the physical exam could help you localize what you see on imaging. But I still wanted to work with kids, so pediatric neurology felt like a good fit. A lot of my mentors encouraged me to go in that direction. They said your specialty chooses you, and that was definitely the case for me.
Q. Is there a specific condition you are most interested in?
In Pheonix, I saw a wide variety of patients, and I found myself gravitating toward movement disorder patients. I worked with a mentor who specialized in movement disorders and did a lot of work with tics and Tourette’s. This can be a challenging population, but it’s also very rewarding.
Families often come in very worried because of misconceptions they’ve seen on social media or TV. It’s reassuring to them when I explain the natural history — that tics are more common in childhood and can improve over time. In addition, children often aren’t as bothered by their tics as their caregivers are. We focus on whether the tics are interfering with activities, causing pain or any negative social consequences. If the answer is yes, then there are treatments, including medications and therapies like comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT). Reassurance and education are a big part of what we do, especially compared to other neurological conditions that can be much more serious.
I'm also very interested in genetic movement disorders. I have experience with precision therapies, such as deep brain stimulation, and I look forward to becoming more involved with the Advanced Tone Management Clinic.
Q. How do you approach working with patients and their families?
I always try to understand the context — age, comorbidities, function. For example, my approach is different for a child with severe cerebral palsy than it is for a school-aged child with new movements.
Taking a detailed history is key, and I often ask parents to bring in videos of their child exhibiting the movement. Videos can be incredibly helpful since movements don’t always happen in the office. Once we determine there’s not an underlying issue that needs further investigation, I focus on how the movements impact function.
For complex patients, I often ask, “What’s the biggest problem right now?” If we can address the biggest issue, everything else usually improves a bit, without necessarily needing multiple medications.
Q. What do you most enjoy about working with children with movement disorders?
The most gratifying thing about working with children is that you get to watch them grow up. I’ve followed some patients from infancy through childhood and celebrated milestones with their families. It's incredibly rewarding to be there for successes as well as challenges. As the field advances, we're able to offer patients with chronic conditions more effective and more personalized treatments. Witnessing this growth and advancement is the best part of my job.
Q. What do you like doing outside of work?
I’m interested in music; I play guitar and violin. I love spending time with my family. My brother convinced me to do a triathlon last year, and I’m doing another one soon. I also like birdwatching, hiking and being outdoors.
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