Nicholas S. Abend, MD
Professor of Neurology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Medical Director, Clinical Neurophysiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Associate Scholar, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Epidemiology Unit, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics)
Senior Medical Director, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Neuroscience Center)
Core Faculty, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Clinical Futures Center of Excellence; Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness)
Distinguished Endowed Chair in the Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Associate Chief for Inpatient Operations and Clinical Strategy, Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Department: Neurology
Contact information
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Division of Neurology, HUB 10548
3501 Civic Center Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Division of Neurology, HUB 10548
3501 Civic Center Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-590-1719
Fax: 215-590-1771
Fax: 215-590-1771
Email:
abend@chop.edu
abend@chop.edu
Education
BS
Washington University, 1998.
MD (Medicine)
University of Chicago School of Medicine, 2002.
MSCE (Clinical Epidemiology )
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2015.
BS
Washington University, 1998.
MD (Medicine)
University of Chicago School of Medicine, 2002.
MSCE (Clinical Epidemiology )
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2015.
Post-Graduate Training
Pediatrics Internship, University of Chicago Children's Hospital, 2002-2003.
Pediatrics Residency, University of Chicago Children's Hospital, 2003-2004.
Child Neurology Fellowship, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania , 2004-2007.
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Certificate, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2007-2008.
Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2007-2009.
Certificate - Development in Leadership, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, 2014-2016.
Certificate - Healthcare Innovation, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2019-2020.
Pediatrics Internship, University of Chicago Children's Hospital, 2002-2003.
Pediatrics Residency, University of Chicago Children's Hospital, 2003-2004.
Child Neurology Fellowship, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania , 2004-2007.
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Certificate, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2007-2008.
Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2007-2009.
Certificate - Development in Leadership, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, 2014-2016.
Certificate - Healthcare Innovation, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2019-2020.
Certifications
Neurology (with special qualification in child neurology) - American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2008.
Epilepsy - American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2012.
Permanent linkNeurology (with special qualification in child neurology) - American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2008.
Epilepsy - American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2012.
Description of Research Expertise
Pediatric EpilepsyEEG Monitoring in Critically Ill Children and Neonates
Management of Pediatric Status Epilepticus
Description of Clinical Expertise
Pediatric EpilepsyPediatric Electroencephalography
Description of Other Expertise
Quality ImprovementSelected Publications
Essaid L, Haque K, Shillingford A, Zimmerman L, Burnham A, Hampton L, Okunowo O, Gaynor JW, Abend NS, Naim MY, Gardner MM. : Medical and Socioeconomic Risk Factors Associated with Lack of Neurodevelopmental Evaluation Following Neonatal Cardiac Surgery. Pediatric Cardiology 47(1): 257-265, 2026.Molisani SE, Kaufman MC, Tencer J, Fitzgerald M, Witzman S, Gonzalez A, Ramos M, DiGiovine M, Kessler SK, McDonnel PP, McKee J, Melamed S, Prelack M, Tefft S, Abend NS.: Medication Barriers in Pediatric Patients with Epilepsy. Pediatric Neurology 177: 140-147, 2026.
Mazzio E, Catenaccio E, Liu R, Vossough A, Abend NS, Alcamo A, Huh J, Chen SS, Berg RA, Topjian A, Press C, Kirschen MP.: Association of EEG Response to Hypertonic Saline and Neurologic Outcomes in Pediatric Acute Brain Injury. Neurocritical Care 44(3): 841-849, 2026.
Marshall A, Kaufman MC, Murphy C, Molisani SE, Riisen AC, Scotti-Degnan CM, Witzman S, Gonzalez AK, Ramos MO, Szperka CL, Abend NS.: Screening for Anxiety Symptoms with the GAD-2 versus GAD-7 in Children with Headache or Epilepsy. Pediatric Neurology 178: 7--14, 2026.
Pojomovsky McDonnell P, Ortiz Y, Abend NS, Kaufman MC, Xian J, Gonzalez A, Molisani S, Helbig I. : A simple intervention improves access to telemedicine for Spanish-speaking families in an outpatient pediatric neurology clinic. Journal of Child Neurology 40(9): 767-771, 2025.
Nunes ML, Yozawitz EG, Wusthoff CJ, Shellhaas RA, Olivas-Peña E, Wilmshurst JM, Pressler RM, Triki CC, Hartmann H, Inder T, Boylan GB, Valente K, Moshe SL, Mizrahi EM, Abend NS.: Defining Neonatal Status Epilepticus: A Scoping Review from the ILAE Neonatal Task Force. Epilepsia Open 10(1): 40-54, 2025.
Ostendorf AP, Loddenkemper T, Morgan LA, Appavu B, Farias-Moeller R, Harrar D, Press C, Abend NS, Gaillard WD, Bai S, Eisner M, McHenry L, Kroshus E, Vannatta K, Goodkin HP. : Treating seizures faster: The quality improvement in time to treat status epilepticus (QuITT-SE) multicenter randomized stepped-wedge clinical trial protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials 151: 107831, 2025.
Murphy C, Molisani SE, Riisen AC, Scotti-Degnan CM, Karvounides D, Witzman S, Kaufman MC, Gonzalez AK, Ramos, MO, Szperka CL, Abend NS. : A Quality Improvement Initiative to Implement Anxiety Screening to Children and Teens with Headache and Epilepsy. Neurology in Clinical Practice 15(3): e200458, 2025.
Fung FW, Parikh DS, Walsh K, Fitzgerald MP, Massey SL, Topjian AA, Abend NS.: Late-Onset Findings During Extended EEG Monitoring Are Rare in Critically Ill Children. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology 42(2): 149-155, 2025.
Kellier D, Anto M, Hal M, Nash K, Hutchinson M, Wells E, Moharir M, Abend NS, Messer R, Palaganas J, Piantino J, Marin J, Szperka C, Press C. : Association of race and ethnicity with emergency room rate of migraine diagnosis, testing, and management in children with headache. Neurology 104(5), e213351 2025.