Dr. Thara R. Bala, MD

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Get to know Pediatric Neurologist Dr. Thara R. Bala, who serves patients in Texas.

Dr. Bala is a board certified pediatric neurologist working within the Department of Neurology at both Texas Children’s Hospital – West Campus and Texas Children’s Specialty Care Sugar Land.

Her clinical interests include general pediatric neurology encompassing epilepsy, tics/Tourette Syndrome, headaches, concussion, autism spectrum disorders, and developmental delay.

When it comes to the evaluation and management of children, Dr. Bala believes that quality of care and positive health outcomes are of the utmost importance. She strives to build compassionate relationships with her patients and their families and to actively seek their input when creating a diagnostic and treatment plan suitable to an individual child.  

“Education and anticipatory guidance play a critical role in management of many chronic neurological conditions, and it should be part of every patient visit. By ensuring an open and honest dialogue with my patients and their families, I hope to provide high quality care and to promote optimal health outcomes for my patients” says Dr. Bala. 

Her educational and professional journey has been a carefully orchestrated progression, beginning with her Medical Degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine in 2008. Following this foundational step, she pursued her residency in pediatrics at Louisiana State University in 2011/

Driven by a commitment to healthcare administration, Dr. Bala undertook a Master’s Program in Healthcare Administration at the University of Houston – Clear Lake, graduating in 2013. She then pursued a fellowship in child neurology at the University of Texas Health Science Center/McGovern Medical School in Houston in 2016, further specializing in her field. 

Board certified in both neurology and child neurology, Dr. Bala is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to serving the professions of psychiatry and neurology. 

Furthermore, she is board certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). The mission of the ABP is to advance child health by certifying pediatricians who meet standards of excellence and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

In addition to being a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Bala is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Headache Society, and the Child Neurology Society .

In her academic role, she holds the position of Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine.

Neurology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Neurologists are licensed medical specialists who diagnose and treat disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles of patients. A child neurologist, or pediatric neurologist, is a doctor who treats children who have problems with their nervous system. Problems in the nervous system can start in the brain, spine, nerves, or muscles. These can lead to problems such as seizures, headaches, or developmental delays.

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