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Bryan Mendes, MD, is a pediatric neurologist at Gillette Children's. Dr. Mendes specializes in epilepsy care and management for children and teens. Learn more about Dr. Mendes.
Gillette Children’s pediatric neurologist Bryan Mendes, MD, has unique insight when it comes to treating young patients who have seizures: he experienced a type of epilepsy as a child called Self-Limited Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes (SeLECTS). SeLECTS is a type of epilepsy often seen in children that can resolve itself after a few years. Dr. Mendes took medication to control his seizures and was eventually able to discontinue treatment without a recurrence of seizure activity.
Surprisingly, that’s not what first led Dr. Mendes to pediatric neurology. “When I started medical school, I was actually going to be an adult cardiologist,” he says. It wasn’t until a rotation in pediatrics that he realized the direction he wanted his practice to take. “By the third day [of the pediatrics rotation], I was a goner—I knew I was going to be doing pediatrics from then on.” An interest in neurology, coupled with his childhood experience of epilepsy, brought Dr. Mendes's life experience and interests full circle.
A Vision of Epilepsy Care Aligned with Gillette Children's
While Dr. Mendes enjoyed success as a pediatric epilepsy expert in private practice, he found that he missed embracing the bigger picture. “I liked being the epilepsy specialist, but I missed having conversations about general neurology and having access to a broader range of other experts.”
Coming to a patient- and family-centered organization like Gillette seemed a natural next step, especially after his former colleague (and current Gillette Children’s psychotherapist) Eva Igler, PhD, spoke in glowing terms about the care here. Since joining Gillette, “I have never felt at any point that the patient is anything less than the primary focus [at Gillette],” says Dr. Mendes. “The motivation is always what’s best for the patient, because they deserve that level of care.”
Dr. Mendes has heard from patient families who appreciate Gillette’s multidisciplinary approach. “I have had patients schedule an appointment with me at Gillette specifically because they want to find a place where the various aspects of their medical care can be managed,” he says. “They realize, ‘Oh, I can be seen by physical therapy here. I can be fitted for a wheelchair in the same place. Social work is here to help me with the financial aspect.’ Those are some of the more gratifying patient visits I have.”
Community Leadership in Pediatric Epilepsy
Outside of his work at Gillette Children’s, Dr. Mendes also serves as medical director for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota’s Camp Oz, an annual sleepaway camp specifically for children ages 9-17 who have epilepsy. “I’ve held onto the role of medical director for Camp Oz even as I’ve changed jobs because it’s the highlight of my year,” Dr. Mendes shares.
A Hobbyist and A New Dad
In his free time, Dr. Mendes loves to read science fiction and play role-playing tabletop games, as well as maintain his family’s garden.
Dr. Mendes and his wife recently welcomed their first child, a son named Isaac. “Our newborn was polite today and got me up at 5:30, instead of the usual 4:30,” he laughs. “A large amount of my regular hobbies have been supplanted with figuring out how to be a new dad. But Isaac is more than worth it."
