Center of Excellence in Pediatric Neurology- Ashutosh Raina M.D.

08/31/2025

There is another presence in the room that often goes unacknowledged in medicine ..the interpreter.

Quietly, they listen. They jot down words, but what they truly carry is far more: the weight of emotion, the nuance of fear, the warmth of hope. In those moments, they become more than a conduit of language ..they become a bridge of humanity.

The joy I see in my patients when they hear their own language, when a stranger suddenly feels like family for those 15 minutes, is breathtaking.

To every interpreter who has stood beside patients and families, giving them not just translation but dignity and belonging..thank you. Your work heals in ways that medicine alone never could.

08/29/2025

At its heart, medicine is not about protocols, machines, or charts..it’s about the human spirit that inspires us to learn more, do more, and be more. People are not the subjects of medicine; they are its purpose.
That’s my wife.. Dr Reetu Sharma.

08/19/2025

8 and a half years ago, we opened our pediatric clinic with a promise to heal, to help, to teach, and to support.

I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off, but my wife’s words stayed with me: “The only reason I’m investing is because I know you, I know the effect you have on people. You will do well… we will do well.”

The journey began with just a handful of patients. My parents, in-laws, and even the husband of our office manager, Sangeeta, would call daily to ask, “How many patients came today?”

From the very beginning, our focus was not on every dollar earned, but on elevating the patient experience. We worked as a family, no ego, no pressure, just guidance and science behind every recommendation.

As the practice grew, so did the challenges. Bigger operations brought bigger anxieties. In private practice, there isn’t much room for pause, but I eventually learned the importance of it. I sought help, leaned on support, began exercising, and found balance. That journey toward pause has shaped me ever since. My morning videos of chai are exactly for that reason.

Teaching added another dimension to this path. Mentoring hundreds of kids over the years has been one of my greatest joys and in guiding them, I’ve discovered more about myself.

Our staff has been the heartbeat of this place. With little turnover in nearly a decade, we’ve truly become a family, standing by one another through fire and rain. The work we do, the lives we see, always keeps us grounded.

And then there’s you our patients and families. You have been our true marketing team. Your trust and your word of mouth have carried us forward. We may still be a small clinic, but looking back, we see the big difference we’ve been able to make in so many lives.

For that, we are deeply grateful!

07/09/2025

“A Week on Call”

The day of a physician doesn’t switch off when they clock out!

This week: a child with epilepsia partialis continua slipping into aphasia, a toddler’s staggering gait revealing a cerebellar tumor, a child in severe encephalopathy, and two NICU babies cooled for hypoxic injury as their parents waited—agonizing—for MRI day 5 to see if deeper structures are affected. It was also about 2 physicians with past differences working towards a common goal(perspective) of getting a diagnosis and treatment right.

For parents, it’s a week of fear, hope, and love stretched thin. For me, it’s a reminder of the privilege and weight of walking with them through it all. We share the uncertainty, the quiet prayers, and the unspoken question: what will their tomorrow look like?

This is medicine. This is humanity.

For my mentees.

02/08/2025

My daughter(Teen of Impact for greater Sac region) is advocating for heart health awareness, especially among women, and would appreciate your backing. She has personally met with community members, gone door-to-door, and interviewed medical professionals for their expertise. We value your time in reviewing this and contributing.

Teen of impact nominees are changemakers using their voices to make a difference. Together they will raise much needed funds, take charge of their health, advocate for all women and change policy.

01/28/2025

Many of you have been cared for by Ms Michelle Nguyen , our brilliant NP. A little about her.
She received her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of
California, San Francisco (UCSF), and she is a board-certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.
What she says..
“I am very fortunate to have attended the UCSF School of Nursing, a university that focuses on individualized, patient-centered, and holistic care. I have had extensive pediatric primary care training;
my experiences at the School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County and Kiwi Pediatrics have provided me a strong foundation to provide and manage care for children and adolescents from birth to 24 years of age.
I also have additional training in managing both adolescent and psychiatric/mental health. My experience at Larkin Street’s Michael Baxter Youth Clinic has given me competence in caring for homeless and
marginalized adolescent and young adults, while my experience at UCSF BCHO’s Psychiatry Clinic has given me competence in caring for pediatric patients with autism, ADHD, and mood disorders. Together,my experiences have prepared me to serve the wide diversity of patients at CEPN.
Quality health care has a tremendous impact on a child’s growth and development. I am truly committed to improving the health of individuals and families. I am confident my education and research background will enable me to provide evidence-based care that is culturally sensitive and trauma-informed for the best patient outcomes.”

01/25/2025

This is perhaps the most exciting journey I will be undertaking. This company is a testament of how a parents journey can better medicine for everyone. Enliten AI is a seed of a personal emotion for the founder and it is my utmost privilege to be a part of this group!!. This could be a game changer for Epileptologists and their patients. Pediatric study soon!!
EnlitenAI, Inc Dr. Himanshu Misra

“I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Ashutosh Raina, Pediatric Neurologist at the Center of Excellence in Pediatric Neurology (CEPN), to EnlitenAI’s Strategic Advisory Board.

Dr. Raina’s expertise in pediatric neurology will be instrumental in advancing our platform’s capabilities to address the unique seizure management challenges faced by pediatric populations. His guidance will play a key role in refining our product functionalities and driving better outcomes for children living with epilepsy.

Dr. Raina notes, “EnlitenAI’s platform has the potential to deliver evidence-based, patient-centric care through advanced remote patient monitoring. This technology could enable better patient stratification for surgical interventions or implantable neurostimulation devices.”

This partnership also marks an exciting step in expanding EnlitenAI’s presence in Sacramento and Rocklin, CA, strengthening our commitment to innovative healthcare solutions.”

01/15/2025

It will always be about you!!

“Dr. Raina has been my daughter's neurologist for a year now-We moved from Las Vegas. We love Dr. Raina, he is amazing and caring! His bedside manner is always phenomenal and treats you like family. He listens and is super patient with us and my daughter who has a genetic disorder and epilepsy.

Their EEG tech-so sorry I forgot her name, she is also incredible. Usually my daughter fights when they put eeg wires on but with her, my 6 year old daughter is mostly calm because EEG tech is so sweet & friendly- she's also super fast and efficient that it's a breeze when my daughter has to get her wires on and get taken off with her.

The girls in the front are always fast when it comes to paperwork and giving messages to Dr. Raina-they are always polite & friendly.

Thank you so much to Dr. Raina and his amazing staff for always being so kind and compassionate to my daughter”

01/05/2025

Please reach out to either myself or Reetu Sharma MD FACC to see how you can support Avantika. Heart disease is the number 1 killer in men and women.
Reetu Sharma

12/07/2024

This clinic exceeds my wildest dreams and this team made the impossible possible. I know they face their own unique challenges yet they rise above them every day with unwavering optimism. They truly comprehend the profound impact of their work. This is the ultimate TEAM!
This holiday season- Don’t drink and Drive and drink responsibly!!!

12/06/2024

This picture is from December 2016, just a few months before we opened CEPN. As a clinic, we have achieved what I had aimed for. We have served thousands of families, mentored hundreds of kids, donated to many charities, and been part of Med-Tech startups that reimagine medicine. We prioritize our staff's mental health with paid holidays, treat each other like family, support each other, and enjoy most days. Thank you for helping us create what I have always envisioned.

11/14/2024

You will find this very helpful. From my wife Reetu Sharma MD. Check number 3.

It is very difficult to change behavior.. What helps, is being as truthful as possible with patients, or as they tell me “being blunt.”

Sometimes, the shock factor of what is happening and/or may happen is the instrument that changes a person’s thinking and behavior..For example, patients who have a heart attack are more likely to be compliant with a heart healthy diet.

So I thought- what better way to communicate best health practices than give you some data that may shock you..

So - risk factors they don’t talk enough about…

1. Stress
2. Family history
3. Female gender

1.Stress can kill you!… This is not just an expression.. Monday a.m’s, for example, are the most common time to see heart attacks… why? Your stress hormone, cortisol spikes in a.m., and you’re likely done with your peaceful weekend, and back to work! There are stress induced cardiomyopathies. A heart attack can be triggered by stress causing BP spikes and subsequent plaque rupture.. Stress activates your fight or flight system.. so you’re in this mode “too long”, resulting in unnecessary burden on your heart.. resulting in changes that are not conducive to good heart health…
So how to fix it ? Spend time with others … socialization is a known DEstressor … Studies have found that people who live by themselves are two times more likely to have a heart attack than people who live with a roommate or partner. Exercise. Meditate. Spend time doing things that give you peace/joy, and incorporate in each day!

2.Family history of heart disease doubles your risk of a cardiac event.. without any other risk factors.. so it is imperative that those with FHx see their MD to see if they have coronary artery disease. We now have technology which can assess plaque burden in your arteries.. you can be started on Rx early to change the course of this disease.. so you DON’T follow in the footsteps of your parents..

3.Did you know that Women under age 50 are 2X more likely than men of the same age to die from a heart attack. Why? Cause no one expects them to have heart disease… and neither do they; if it’s not on your radar, you’re more likely to blow it off, right? If you do go in, it may be later.. may be too late.. and there may not be much they can do..

Remember 80+ % of heart disease is preventable.. it starts with you .