Cynthia Guadalupe Keator, MD

Medical Director, Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Language(s):

English, Spanish

Cook Children's Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center

1500 Cooper St

Fort Worth

TX 76104

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Make an appointment Call (682) 885-2500

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Meet Dr. Cynthia Guadalupe Keator

Cynthia Keator, M.D., has dedicated her career to the field of pediatric epilepsy, in part because there is always something new to learn, and especially because great strides are constantly being made in the medical treatments available to kids who are diagnosed with this condition. These advances make profound differences in the lives of children and their families. On a daily basis, Dr. Keator witnesses children outgrow the condition, go into remission or find effective treatment.

"I wanted to go into medicine my whole life. And I also knew I wanted to help children. Most kids change their minds a million times but I didn't. I always knew I wanted to do this," says Dr. Keator. Today, she is proud to doctor at Cook Children's and an integral part of a neurology team that is making such huge difference in the lives of children.

Her study of pediatric epilepsy and dedication to those who have it extends well beyond one-on-one interaction with patients. Dr. Keator is active in the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas, a program that offers children statewide support and education, and even provides summer camps for children with epilepsy.

All children want to be physically active and that is a common ground she shares with patients. Having spent her residency in Colorado she has become an avid skier.

Dr. Keator holds another unique distinction: she competed in the Miss America Pageant, and while she could have played the piano for her talent portion of the competition, she chose instead to perform a ventriloquist act. She is married and is a mother of 1 (as well as mother to two dogs)

Clinic webpage Dr. Cynthia Guadalupe Keator's team

Services

Pediatric epilepsy
Pediatric neurology

All Practice Locations

Cook Children's Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center

1500 Cooper St.

4th Floor

Fort Worth

TX 76104

Main Number

(682) 885-2500

Affiliations

American Epilepsy Society, American Academy of Neurology,Cook Children's Physician Network

Recognitions

American Epilepsy Society Young Investigators Award (2012)
Mom Approved Top Doc (2015 and 2016)
Fort Worth Top Doctor (2016 and 2018)
360 West Top Doc (2020 and 2021)

Education

Medical School:

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Residency:

University of Colorado at Denver

Board Certifications:

American Board of Neurology
Special Qualifications: Child Neurology and Epilepsy

Research & Publications

Publications:

Bain, J. M., Thornburg, O., Pan, C., Rome-Martin, D., Boyle, L., Fan, X., Devinsky, O., Frye, R., Hamp, S., & Keator, C. G. (2021). Detailed clinical and psychological phenotype of the X-linked HNRNPH2-related neurodevelopmental disorder. Neurology Genetics, 7(1). (PubMed ID 33728377)
Grinspan, Z. M., Knupp, K. G., Patel, A. D., Yozawitz, E. G., Wusthoff, C. J., Wirrell, E., Valencia, I., Singhal, N. S., Nordli, D. R., Mytinger, J. R., Mitchell, W., Keator, C. G., Loddenkemper, T., Hussain, S. A., Harini, C., Gaillard, W. D., Fernandez, I. S., Coryell, J., Chu, C. J., Berg, A. T., & Shellhaas, R. A. (2021). Comparative effectiveness of initial treatment for infantile spasms in a contemporary US cohort. Neurology. (PubMed ID 34266919)
Keator, C. G. (2021). Epilepsy surgery is a viable treatment for Lennox Gastaut syndrome. Seminars in Pediatric Neurology, 38, 100894. (PubMed ID 34183143)
Grinspan, Z. M., Mytinger, J. R., Baumer, F. M., Ciliberto, M. A., Cohen, B. H., Dlugos, D. J., Harini, C., Hussain, S. A., Joshi, S. M., Keator, C. G., Knupp, K. G., McGoldrick, P. E., Nickels, K. C., Park, J. T., Pasupuleti, A., Patel, A. D., Pomeroy, S. L., Shahid, A. M., Shellhaas, R. A., Shrey, D. W., Singh, R. K., Wolf, S. M., Yozawitz, E. G., Yuskaitis, C. J., Waugh, J., Pearl, P. L., & Child Neurology Society (Practice Committee and Executive Board) and the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (Infantile Spasms Special Interest Group and Steering Committee). (2020). Crisis standard of care: Management of infantile spasms during COVID-19. Annals of Neurology. (PubMed ID 32445204)
Grinspan, Z. M., Mytinger, J. R., Baumer, F. M., Ciliberto, M. A., Cohen, B. H., Dlugos, D. J., Harini, C., Hussain, S. A., Joshi, S. M., Keator, C. G., Knupp, K. G., McGoldrick, P. E., Nickels, K. C., Park, J. T., Pasupuleti, A., Patel, A. D., Shahid, A. M., Shellhaas, R. A., Shrey, D. W., Singh, R. K., Wolf, S. M., Yozawitz, E. G., Yuskaitis, C. J., Waugh, J. L., & Pearl, P. L. (2020). Management of infantile spasms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Child Neurology, 35(12), 828-834. (PubMed ID 32576057)
Berg, A. T., Wusthoff, C., Shellhaas, R. A., Loddenkemper, T., Grinspan, Z. M., Saneto, R. P., Knupp, K. G., Patel, A., Sullivan, J. E., Kossoff, E. H., Chu, C. J., Massey, S., Valencia, I., Keator, C. G., Wirrell, E. C., Coryell, J., Millichap, J. J., & Gaillard, W. D. (2019). Immediate outcomes in early life epilepsy: A contemporary account. Epilepsy & Behavior, 97, 44-50. (PubMed ID 31181428)
Grinspan, Z. M., Shellhaas, R. A., Coryell, J., Sullivan, J. E., Wirrell, E. C., Mytinger, J. R., Gaillard, W. D., Kossoff, E. H., Valencia, I., Knupp, K. G., Wusthoff, C., Keator, C. G., Ryan, N., Loddenkemper, T., Chu, C. J., Novotny, E. J., Jr, Millichap, J., & Berg, A. T. (2018). Comparative effectiveness of levetiracetam vs phenobarbital for infantile epilepsy. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(4), 352-360.
Berg, A. T., Chakravorty, S., Koh, S., Grinspan, Z. M., Shellhaas, R. A., Saneto, R. P., Wirrell, E. C., Coryell, J., Chu, C. J., Mytinger, J. R., Gaillard, W. D., Valencia, I., Knupp, K. G., Loddenkemper, T., Sullivan, J. E., Poduri, A., Millichap, J. J., Keator, C. G., Wusthoff, C., Ryan, N., Dobyns, W. B., & Hegde, M. (2018). Why West? Comparisons of clinical, genetic and molecular features of infants with and without spasms. PloS One, 13(3), e0193599. (PubMed ID 29518120)
Grinspan, Z. M., Shellhaas, R. A., Coryell, J., Sullivan, J. E., Wirrell, E. C., Mytinger, J. R., Gaillard, W. D., Kossoff, E. H., Valencia, I., Knupp, K. G., Wusthoff, C., Keator, C. G., Ryan, N., Loddenkemper, T., Chu, C. J., Novotny, E. J.,Jr, Millichap, J., & Berg, A. T. (2018). Comparative effectiveness of levetiracetam vs phenobarbital for infantile epilepsy. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(4), 352-360. (PubMed ID 29435578)
Berg, A. T., Coryell, J., Saneto, R. P., Grinspan, Z. M., Alexander, J. J., Kekis, M., Sullivan, J. E., Wirrell, E. C., Shellhaas, R. A., Mytinger, J. R., Gaillard, W. D., Kossoff, E. H., Valencia, I., Knupp, K. G., Wustoff, C., Keator, C. G., Dobyns, W. B., Ryan, N., Loddenkemper, T., Chu, C. J., Novotny, E. J. J., & Koh, S. (2017). Early life epilepsies and the emerging role of genetic testing. JAMA Pediatrics, 171(9), 863-871. (PubMed ID 28759667)
Demarest, S. T., Shellhaas, R. A., Gaillard, W. D., Keator, C. G., Nickels, K. C., Hussain, S. A., Loddenkemper, T., Patel, A. D., Saneto, R. P., Wirrell, E. C., Sanchez Fernandez, I., Chu, C. J., Grinspan, Z. M., Wusthoff, C. J., Joshi, S. M., Mohamed, I. S., Stafstrom, C. E., Stack, C. V., Yozawitz, E., Bluvstein, J. S., Singh, R. K., Knupp, K. G., & the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium. (2017). The impact of hypsarrhythmia on infantile spasms treatment response: Observational cohort from the National Infantile Spasms Consortium. Epilepsia, 58(12), 2098-2103. (PubMed ID 29105055)
Perry, M. S., Bailey, L. J., Freedman, D., Donahue, D. J., Malik, S. I., Head, H. W., Keator, C. G., & Hernandez, A. W. (2017). Coregistration of multimodal imaging is associated with favourable two-year seizure outcome after paediatric epilepsy surgery. Epileptic Disorders : International Epilepsy Journal with Videotape, 19(1), 40-48. (PubMed ID 28287070)
Perry, M. S., Donahue, D. J., Malik, S. I., Keator, C. G., Hernandez, A. W., Reddy, R. K., Perkins, F. F.,Jr, Lee, M. R., & Clarke, D. F. (2017). Magnetic resonance imaging-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy as treatment for intractable insular epilepsy in children. Journal of Neurosurgery.Pediatrics, 20(6), 575-582. (PubMed ID: 29027866)
Keator, C. G. (2016). Book review: Color atlas of neurology. Journal of Child Neurology, 31(3), 397.

Abstracts:

Berg, A. T., Chakravorty, S., Koh, S., Hegde, M., Chu, C. J., Shellhaas, R., Wirrell, E. C., Loddenkemper, T., Grinspan, Z., Mytinger, J., Valencia, I., Knupp, K. G., Gaillard, W., Coryell, J., Novotny, E. J., Wusthoff, C., Kossoff, E., Sullivan, J., & Keator, C. G. (2017). Why West? Comparison of age and etiologic factors in infants who do and do not develop spasms. Paper presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Washington, DC. December 1-5, 2017.
Chakravorty, S., Koh, S., Saneto, R., Mytinger, J., Valencia, I., Grinspan, Z., Coryell, J., Shellhaas, R., Knupp, K. G., Millichap, J. J., Wirrell, E. C., Loddenkemper, T., Gaillard, W. D., Chu, C. J., Sullivan, J., Keator, C. G., Wusthoff, C., Hegde, M., & Berg, A. T. (2017). Why West? Comparative analysis of genes and molecular pathways affected in infants who do and do not develop spasms. Paper presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Washington, DC. December 1-5, 2017.
Grinspan, Z., Shellhaas, R., Coryell, J., Sullivan, J., Wirrell, E. C., Mytinger, J. R., Gaillard, W. D., Kossoff, E., Valencia, I., Knupp, K. G., Wusthoff, C., Keator, C. G., Ryan, N., Loddenkemper, T., Chu, C. J., Novotny, E. J., Millichap, J. J., & Berg, A. T. (2017). Superior effectiveness of levetiracetam over phenobarbital for infantile nonsyndromic epilepsy: A prospective multi-center observational study. Paper presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Washington, DC. December 1-5, 2017.
Pope, A., Perry, M. S., Malik, S. I., Keator, C. G., Bailey, L. J., Shandley, S., Hernandez, A. W., & Donahue, D. J. (2017). Laser interstitial thermal therapy following failed resective epilepsy surgery. Paper presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Washington, DC. December 1-5, 2017.
Shellhaas, R., Knupp, K. G., Patel, A., Sanchez-Fernandez, I., Loddenkemper, T., Coryell, J., Keator, C. G., Chu, C. J., Valencia, I., Berg, A. T., Mytinger, J., Hussain, S. A., Singhal, N., Mitchell, W., Norhli, D., Harini, C., Gaillard, W. D., Wusthoff, C., Yozawitz, E., Wirrell, E., & Grinspan, Z. (2017). Comparative effectiveness of ACTH versus other therapies for infantile spasms: Counterfactual calculations and potential effect of practice change. Paper presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Washington, DC. December 1-5, 2017.
Berg, A. T., Gaillard, W., Grinspan, Z., Shellhaas, R. A., Patel, A. D., Keator, C. G., Valencia, I., Kossoff, E., Wirrell, E., Millichap, J. J., Knupp, K. G., Saneto, R. P., Loddenkemper, T., Sullivan, J., Wusthoff, C., Chu, C., Massey, S., & Coryell, J. (2016). Short-term seizure course and mortality in early life epilepsy. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Houston, TX. December 2-6, 2016.
Clarke, D. F., Perry, M. S., Donahue, D. J., Titus, J. B., Perkiins, F., Keator, C. G., Nussbaum, N. L., Hernandez, A. W., Malik, S. I., Seery, L., & Lee, M. (2016). Thermal ablation of frontal lobe lesions. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Houston, TX. December 2-6, 2016.
Perry, M. S., Keator, C. G., Bailey, L. J., Malik, S. I., & Hernandez, A. W. (2016). Predictors of total seizure number and duration of monitoring needed for presurgical localization in intractable epilepsy. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Houston, TX. December 2-6, 2016.
Rao, C., Clarke, D. F., Perkins, F., Lee, M., Wasson, L., Seery, L., Hernandez, A. W., Malik, S. I., Keator, C. G., Donahue, D. J., & Perry, M. S. (2016). Outcomes of MRI-guided thermal ablation in non-lesional intractable childhood epilepsy. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Houston, TX. December 2-6, 2016.
Taglialatel, M., Millichap, J. J., Miceli, F., De Maria, M., Keator, C. G., Joshi, N., Tran, B., Soldovieri, M. V., Ambrosino, P., Shashi, V., Mikati, M., & Cooper, E. (2016). Infantile spasms and encephalopathy without preceding neonatal seizures caused by KCNQ2 R198Q, a gain-of-function variant. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Houston, TX. December 2-6, 2016.
Berg, A., Mytinger, J., Knupp, K. G., Shellhaas, R., Loddenkemper, T., Saneto, R., Gaillard, W. D., Sullivan, J., Grinspan, Z., Chu, C., Keator, C. G., Wusthoff, C., Coryell, J., Wirrell, E., Hartman, A., Ryan, N., Valencia, I., & Nordli, D. R. (2015). (2015). Clinical epidemiology of newly diagnosed early life epilepsy: Underlying causes and contributions from genetics. Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Philadelphia, PA. December 4-8, 2015.
Coryell, J., Nickels, K., Ryan, N., Leister, E., Berg, A., Nordli, D. R., Millichap, J., Joshi, S., Shellhaas, R., Dlugos, D., Mytinger, J. R., Gaillard, W., Keator, C. G., Loddenkemper, T., Sullivan, J., Zawadzki, L., Mitchell, W., Kumar, G., Dimitrios, A., Yozawitz, E., Joshi, C., Wusthoff, C. J., Wong-Kisiel, L., Hartman, A., Kossoff, E., Chu, C., Valencia, L. J., Jansen, L., Hussain, S., Wirrell, E., & Knupp, K. G. (2015). Etiology and development are not significant predictors of treatment response in infantile spasms. Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES). Philadelphia, PA. December 4-8, 2015.
Knupp, K. G., Leister, E., Ryan, N., Nickels, K., Coryell, J., Berg, A., Nordli, D. R., Millichap, J., Joshi, S., Shellhaas, R., Dlugos, D., Mytinger, J., Gaillard, W. D., Keator, C. G., Loddenkemper, T., Sullivan, J., Zawadzki, L., Mitchell, W., Kumar, G., Arkilo, D., Yozawitz, E., Joshi, C., Wusthoff, C., Wong-Kisiel, L., Hartman, A., Kossoff, E., Chu, C., Valencia, I., Jansen, L., Hussain, S., & Wirrell, E. (2015). Response to second medication trial for infantile spasms. Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES). Philadelphia, PA. December 4-8, 2015.
Millichap, J. J., Miceli, F., Tran, B., Keator, C. G., Joshi, N., Taglialatel, M., & Cooper, E. C. (2015). KCNQ2 p.Arg198Gln, a gain-of-function variant persenting recurrently as west syndrome without preceding neonatal seizures. Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES). Philadelphia, PA. December 4-8, 2015.
Nordli, D. R., Saneto, R., Hartman, A., Mytinger, J., Knupp, K. G., Joshi, S., Gaillard, W. D., Keator, C. G., Sullivan, J., Grinspan, Z., Chu, C., Wusthorr, C., Wirrell, E., Coryell, J., Vanlencia, I., Loddenkemper, T., Ryan, N., & Berg, A. (2015). Yield of routine metabolic diagnostic testing in the initial evaluation of early life epilepsies. Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES). Philadelphia, PA. December 4-8, 2015.
Shellhaas, R., Gaillard, W. D., Loddenkemper, T., Patel, A., Sullivan, J., Keator, C. G., Knupp, K. G., Chu, C., Grinspan, Z., Hartman, A., Wusthoff, C., Coryell, J., Wirrell, E., Novotny, E., Valencia, I., Ryan, N., Nordli, D. R., Camfield, C., Camfield, P., & Berg, A. (2015). Initial treatment for children <3 years with new-onset epilepsy has changed dramatically from 1977-2015 but remains largely empirical. Paper presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES). Philadelphia, PA. December 4-8, 2015.
Freedman, D., Bailey, L. J., Hernandez, A. W., Malik, S. I., Keator, C. G., Donahue, D. J., & Perry, M. S. (2014). Impact of coregistered multimodal neuroimaging on pediatric epilepsy surgery planning and postoperative outcome. Paper presented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. Seattle, WA. December 5-9, 2014.
Wirrell, E., Joshi, C., Shellhaas, R., Keator, C. G., Kumar, S., & Mitchell, W. (2014). Etiologies and yield of investigations for infantile spasms: Results of a US multicenter, prospective study. Paper presented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES 2014. Seattle, WA. December 5-9, 2014.
Zajac, J., Smith, E., Bailey, L. J., Hernandez, A. W., Malik, S. I., Donahue, D. J., Keator, C. G., & Perry, M. S. (2013). Palliative resective epilepsy surgery: The Cook Children's experience. Paper presented at the 67th American Epilepsy Society (AES) Annual Meeting. Washington, DC. December 6-10, 2013.
Keator, C. G., Arndt, D., Stence, N. V., O'Neill, B., Brooks-Kayal, A., & Chapman, K. E. (2012). Evolution of seizures on continuous video EEG in pediatric abusive head trauma. 66th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES. San Diego, CA. November 29 - December 3, 2012
Keator, C. G., Bernard, T. J., Goldenberg, N. A., Manco- Johnson, M., & Knupp, K. G. (2010). Probability of developing epilepsy in pediatric arterial ischemic stroke. Paper presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, AES and 3rd Biennial North American Regional Epilepsy Congress. San Antonio, TX. December 3-7, 2010.
Keator, C. G. (2008). Prevalence, treatments, and outcomes of antiphospholipid antibody positive-childhood arterial ischemic stroke: Findings from the Children's Hospital, Colorado cohort. 37th Annual Meeting of the Child Neurology Society. Santa Clara, CA. November 5-8, 2008.