Jacklyn Smith, MD, MSc

I am a pediatric epileptologist dedicated to caring for children with epilepsy, particularly those whose seizures remain difficult to control. My clinical practice includes reading EEG's, caring for patients in the epilepsy monitoring unit, providing intraoperative neuromonitoring during epilepsy and other neurosurgical procedures, and seeing patients in the epilepsy clinic.

I have a particular interest in refractory epilepsy and in understanding and improving outcomes following epilepsy surgery. Caring for children with difficult to control epilepsy is especially meaningful to me because seizures can affect so much more than a child's health, they can interfere with learning, development, independence, relationships, and a family's everyday life. For children who continue to have seizures despite medications, identifying whether there is another treatment option, including epilepsy surgery or the ketogenic diet can be life changing.

I am grateful to practice at Cincinnati Children's, where children with complex epilepsy have access to a comprehensive, multidisciplinary team with expertise across the full spectrum of epilepsy care. The integration of epilepsy monitoring, advanced EEG, imaging, neurosurgery, neuropsychology, intraoperative neuromonitoring and specialized medical therapies allows us to evaluate each child from multiple perspectives and develop an individualized treatment plan. Being part of this collaborative environment also allows us to follow children beyond the initial treatment decision and learn from their outcomes over time.

I value the opportunity to work closely with children and their families throughout what can be a complex and sometimes overwhelming journey. My goal is to provide thoughtful, individualized care while helping families understand options and feel supported in making decisions about their child's treatment. I am passionate about helping children with epilepsy achieve the best possible quality of life.