Music · Medicine · BrainAll chapters

CHAPTER 14 · Arts in Medicine

The Creative Power of Children’s Artwork for Understanding Neurological Diseases

Juliana Fan, MD · Carl E. Stafstrom, MD, PhD, FAES

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Abstract

Artwork allows patients to express their symptoms, feelings, and perceptions about their medical condition in a way that goes beyond the standard clinic history and examination. Yet, art has been vastly underutilized in individuals with neurologic disease. Here, we present a summary of the use of drawings by children with headaches or seizures. This artwork provides insights for diagnostic purposes and, perhaps even more importantly, into the self- image and internal perceptions of children with these disorders. In addition, artwork can serve as a nidus for focus groups of children facing similar challenges, allowing interpersonal bonding and strategy development for critical daily life adaptations. Art is a simple, inexpensive, and highly impactful adjunct to neurologically evaluating patients of all ages and across the vast array of medical disorders.

Keywords

Explore the book at Cambridge University Press

REFERENCE THIS CHAPTER

Cite this chapter

Chapter references below omit unverified page ranges and chapter-specific DOIs.

APA

Fan, J., & Stafstrom, C. E. (2026). The Creative Power of Children’s Artwork for Understanding Neurological Diseases. In P. L. Pearl & S. Arfaie (Eds.), Music, Medicine, and the Neurobiology of Creativity. Cambridge University Press.

AMA

Fan J, Stafstrom CE. The Creative Power of Children’s Artwork for Understanding Neurological Diseases. In: Pearl PL, Arfaie S, eds. Music, Medicine, and the Neurobiology of Creativity. Cambridge University Press; 2026.

Vancouver

Fan J, Stafstrom CE. The Creative Power of Children’s Artwork for Understanding Neurological Diseases. In: Pearl PL, Arfaie S, editors. Music, Medicine, and the Neurobiology of Creativity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2026.

Chicago

Fan, Juliana, and Carl E. Stafstrom. “The Creative Power of Children’s Artwork for Understanding Neurological Diseases.” In Music, Medicine, and the Neurobiology of Creativity, edited by Phillip L. Pearl and Saman Arfaie. Cambridge University Press, 2026.

BibTeX

@incollection{chapter14_2026,
  author = {Fan, Juliana and Stafstrom, Carl E},
  title = {The Creative Power of Children’s Artwork for Understanding Neurological Diseases},
  booktitle = {Music, Medicine, and the Neurobiology of Creativity},
  editor = {Pearl, Phillip L. and Arfaie, Saman},
  publisher = {Cambridge University Press},
  year = {2026}
}

Harvard

Fan, J. and Stafstrom, C. E. (2026) “The Creative Power of Children’s Artwork for Understanding Neurological Diseases”, in Pearl, P.L. and Arfaie, S. (eds.) Music, Medicine, and the Neurobiology of Creativity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Juliana Fan

Juliana Fan

MD

Pediatric Neurology Resident Physician

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Profile

Juliana Fan is a pediatric neurology resident physician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. With Carl E. Stafstrom, she explores the creative power of children’s artwork for understanding neurological diseases. Their contribution considers visual expression as a way of attending to children’s experiences within neurological care.

Scholarship & professional background

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Yale University, studying the impact of implicit racism in early childhood education. She then completed her medical training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine before moving to Philadelphia for residency. In her personal life, she engages in art as a pianist, amateur fiber artist, and writer.

Carl E. Stafstrom

Carl E. Stafstrom

MD, PhD, FAES

Director, John M. Freeman Pediatric Epilepsy Center; Lederer Endowed Chair of Pediatric Epilepsy

Johns Hopkins University

Profile

Carl E. Stafstrom is Director of the John M. Freeman Pediatric Epilepsy Center and holds the Lederer Endowed Chair of Pediatric Epilepsy at Johns Hopkins. With Juliana Fan, he contributes a chapter on children’s artwork and neurological disease, exploring the significance of creative expression for understanding young patients’ experiences.

Scholarship & professional background

His research on children’s artwork examines drawing as a way to communicate experiences that may be difficult to describe verbally. Publications address headache, seizures, and the psychosocial experience of epilepsy, connecting visual expression with clinical understanding. His training included medical study at the University of Washington, neurological training at Tufts, and research and clinical fellowship work in the Harvard and Boston Children’s Hospital community.

Recognition in epilepsy

The American Epilepsy Society recognized his contributions with its 2021 Founders Award. His career brings clinical pediatric epilepsy, research, and education into sustained dialogue with the experiences of children and families.

Selected work & perspectives

Academic profile and professional workChildren’s artwork and the experience of epilepsyDrawing and childhood headache · Johns Hopkins MedicineFounders Award recipients · American Epilepsy Society