As the parent of a child with a neurological disorder, how can I best help my child?


My best suggestion to help your child with a learning difference or neurological disorder is to develop a strong working relationship with your physician to advocate for your child. Work with your physician to find the “best educational fit” for your child. Learn about all the different educational opportunities in our community. Learn the strengths of each school and match them to your child. Work with your pediatrician to monitor your child’s developmental milestones very closely. If there are any signs of an early delay in development, then I recommend intervention as early as possible. Work with your pediatric neurologist, if you have one. For medications, use as low a dose of medication as possible to optimize your child’s progress in the classroom.


As a board-certified pediatrician with special certification in pediatric neurology, I believe that I offer a unique and compassionate perspective on helping parents of children with neurological problems. My philosophy has been and continues to be that “I care for every child, no matter how weak or frail, like my own.” I am a kama‘āina, born and raised in Kāne‘ohe, who proudly continues to retain my local roots. I deeply care about local kids by carrying on the family tradition, started by my father, Dr. Henry Yim, Kāne‘ohe’s first pediatrician and founder of Windward Pediatrics. We care for the Windward community’s families, as well as kids from town.


A graduate of Punahou School, I earned an Ivy League education at Dartmouth College and my medical doctorate from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Following my pediatric training at Kapiʻolani Medical Center, I returned for my pediatric neurology fellowship at Columbia University Neurological Institute in New York. I was invited to serve on the Neurology National Board of Examiners, and have worked for 10 years to determine the standard of care guidelines in pediatric neurology. For the past three years, I have served on the Punahou board of trustees, which has been an extremely valuable experience for me. As the chairman of the board for the past 10 years for Variety School, which serves children with learning differences, I have gained first-hand experience that has made me empathetic and has increased my compassion for children, and parents of children, with neurologic disorders.


VIEW PROFILE