CHOC is honored to have been named a TSC Center of Excellence by an international organization that supports people diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis (TSC).
CHOC’s specialized clinic treats children with TSC, a rare disorder that can cause epilepsy as well as growths inside the brain, heart, kidney and retinal area of the eye. Because TSC affects different areas of the body, CHOC draws on the expertise of specialists from multiple disciplines, including neurology, genetics, cardiology, nephrology, neuropsychology, neurosurgery and ophthalmology.
As a TSC Center of Excellence, CHOC fulfills 11 core standards and 14 gold standards set forth by the TSC Alliance.
Core standards encompass three categories of criteria:
- Clinical care, including having appropriate specialists and staff;
- educational resource, meaning the clinic serves as a hub for educating the public about TSC; and
- partnership, including partnership with TSC Alliance at the community and national levels.
The TSC Alliance’s gold standards include criteria demonstrating these elements:
- More depth in specific aspects of clinical care, serving as an educational resource and partner; and
- participation in clinical research
CHOC is one of two such centers of excellence in Southern California, and previously enjoyed for six years a designation as a TSC Alliance Clinic.
Through the TSC Alliance, CHOC also has a TSC Clinical Ambassador, a parent volunteer who helps families and children manage the emotional challenges of the disorder by sharing their personal experiences and connecting them with area resources.
CHOC Hospital was named one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ranked in the neurology/neurosurgery specialty.
