30-Jul-2002
 John Freeman , M.D.
 Dr. John Freeman is Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics and has spent most of his career at Johns Hopkins. After graduating from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1958, he completed a residency in Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins Hospital followed by fellowship training in Pediatric Neurology at Columbia University. After serving as a Research Physician for two years at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Dr. Freeman accepted a faculty position at Stanford University in 1966. However, Dr. Freeman returned to Hopkins in 1969 to create and direct the Johns Hopkins Child Neurology Program. Dr. Freeman directs the Hopkins Pediatric Epilepsy Center and his contributations have made the Center a leader in the field. He has written nearly 150 articles, 41 book chapters and seven books or editions of books including, "The Ketogenic Diet: A Treatment for Epilepsy," and the award-winning "Seizures and Epilepsy: A Guide for Parents."

Dr. Freeman's clinical practice focuses on the management of seizures and epilepsy in children. Dr. Freeman and his team, working with pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson, have emphasized the role of hemispherectomy, removal of one-half of a child's brain, for the control and cure of a child's incapacitating seizures. He and his team are also are responsible for renewed interest in the high fat "Ketogenic Diet" for epilepsy.

Though known for his career-long impact on the treatement of seizures and epilepsy, Dr. Freeman has made other contributions as well. His work changed the way birth defects such as spina bifida are perceived and treated. He has been a pioneer in the field of clinical bioethics and has completed the second edition of his book, "Tough Decisions: A Casebook in Medical Ethics."

Dr. Freeman sees patients for consultations on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. To make an appointment please call 410-955-9100.

    CURRENT ADDRESS
    The Johns Hopkins Hospital
    Department of Neurology
    Meyer 2-130
    600 N. Wolfe Street
    Baltimore, MD 21287

    Phone: 410-955-9100
    Fax: 410-614-0373
    E-Mail: jfreema@jhmi.edu
    EDUCATION & TRAINING
  • 1950-54, A.M., Amherst College, Amherst, MA
  • 1954-58, M.D., The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
  • 1958-61 Intern and Resident in Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
  • 1961-64 Fellow in Pediatric Neurology, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY
    CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
  • Lederer Professor of Pediatric Epilepsy, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
  • Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
  • Active Staff, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
    HONORS & AWARDS
  • 1966 Lucy Moses Prize for Research in Neurology Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center
  • 1979 Physician of the Year - Governor's Commission on Employment of the Handicapped
  • 1983 Frank Ford Teaching Award, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins
  • 1989 J.C.Penny Golden Rule Award for Voluntarism
  • 1990 Health Care Professional of The Year - Governor's Committee on Employment of Persons with Disabilities
  • 1991 National Book Award, Epilepsy Foundation of America for Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood: A Guide for Parents. (1st Ed.)
  • 1991 Community Leadership Award - Epilepsy Association of Maryland
  • 1992 Honorary Life Director, Epilepsy Foundation of America
  • 1992 "Special Friend" Award. Upton School, Baltimore City School System
  • 1993 William G. Lennox Award, American Epilepsy Society
  • 1995 Honorary Life Director, Epilepsy Association of Maryland
  • 2001 J. Kiffin Penry Award for Excellence Epilepsy Care, The American Epilepsy Society
    RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
  • Ketogenic Diet and its Consequences
  • Epilepsy Surgery in Children including the consequences of Hemispherectomy
    REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS
  • Freeman JM: Making Decisions for the Severely Handicapped Newborn. Proceeding Symposium. Stony Brook, October 1984. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law 11:285-296, 1986
  • Quaid KA, Faden RR, Freeman JM and Vining EPG: Informed consent for a prescription drug: Impact of disclosed information on patient understanding and medical outcomes.Patient Education and Counseling 15:249-259, 1990.
  • Heffez DS, Aryanpur J, Hutchins GM and Freeman JM: The paralysis associated with myelomeningocele: Clinical and experimental data implicating a preventable spinal cord injury. Neurosurgery 26:987-992, 1990.
  • Vining, E.P.G, Freeman, J.M., Brandt, J. Jr., Carson B.S., Uematsu, S.: Progressive unilateral encephalopathy of childhood (Rasmussen's syndrome): A reappraisal. Epilepsia 34(4);639-650,1993
  • Freeman, JM, The three-cent neurologic exam and other tools for an era of managed care, Contemporary Pediatrics, Vol. 14:153-164, 1997
  • Swink, TD, Vining, EPG, Freeman, JM, The Ketogenic Diet 1996, Advances in Pediatrics 44: 297- 329, 1997
  • Vining, EPG., Freeman, JM., Pillas, DJ., Uematsu, S., Carson, BS., Brandt, J., Boatman, D., Pulsifer, M., Zuckerburg, A., Why Would Your Remove Half a Brain? The Outcome of 58 Children After Hemispherectomy, Pediatrics 100; 163 - 171, 1997
  • Freeman, JM, Vining, EPG, Pillas, DJ, Pyzik, PL, Casey, JC, Kelly, MT. The Efficacy of the Ketogenic Diet-1998: A Prospective Evaluation of Intervention in 150 Children. Pediatrics, 102: 1358-1363, 1998.
  • Hemingway C, Freeman JM, Pillas DJ, Pyzik PL. The Ketogenic Diet: A 3 - 6 Year Follow-up of 150 Children Prospectively Enrolled. Pediatrics 2001: 108;898-905.

    BOOKS
  • Freeman JM: The Practical Management of Meningomyelocele, University Park Press, Baltimore, Maryland 1974
  • Prenatal and Perinatal Factors Associated with Brain Disorders. Report to NICHD, 1985. NIH Publication No. 85-1149. JM Freeman, Editor.
  • Freeman JM and McDonnell K: Tough Decisions: A Casebook in Medical Ethics. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 1987. 2nd Ed. 2000
  • Freeman JM, Kelly MT, Freeman JB: The Epilepsy Diet Treatment: An Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet. Demos Press, New York, NY, 1994. 2nd Ed. 1997, Third Ed. 2000.
  • Freeman JM, Vining EPG and Pillas DJ: Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood: A Guide for Parents.Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland, 1990; 3rd Ed. 2002.