Meghna Rajaprakash, MD

Meghna Rajaprakash is a pediatric neurologist with expertise in neurodevelopmental disabilities; she provides comprehensive care for infants, children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental, neurological and genetic conditions, with a particular focus on early childhood development, NICU follow-up, prenatal exposures and the long-term effects of early-life risk factors on brain development. Additionally, she is the medical director of the Neurodevelopmental Clinic for Early Exposures at Kennedy Krieger Institute, a specialized program that supports children and families affected by prenatal substance and infectious exposures.

A graduate of the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Rajaprakash completed fellowship training in neurodevelopmental disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She also received a Master of Science in neuroscience from the University of Toronto, where her research used advanced neuroimaging to investigate brain development in children with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dr. Rajaprakash’s research seeks to uncover how prenatal exposures and social determinants affect the developing brain. Her work has advanced understanding of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, prenatal opioid exposure, neurodevelopmental outcomes following NICU discharge, DNA methylation and epigenetic biomarkers, and the influence of socioeconomic determinants on brain development.

An active educator and mentor, Dr. Rajaprakash has developed curricula in neurodevelopmental disabilities, mentors trainees and serves as a faculty educator in the Teaching Excellence in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (TEND) program, where she regularly lectures on pediatric neurology, child development and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dr. Rajaprakash is also a dedicated advocate for children’s health. She serves as the prenatal exposures liaison for the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and works to expand access to specialized neurological care for vulnerable children, including those in foster care. Through global health partnerships in Africa and Central America, she also supports capacity-building efforts to strengthen neurodevelopmental care in low- to middle-income countries.

Neurodevelopmental Clinic for Early Exposures at Kennedy Krieger Institute

• Nomination for Arabella Leet Award in Clinical Excellence, Kennedy Krieger Institute (2026)
• American Academy of Neurology Health Equity Program (Competitive Admission) (2025)
• Kennedy Krieger Institute Therapeutic Foster Care Program Hero Award (2024)
• American Academy of Neurology Enhanced Leadership Program (Competitive Admission) (2023)
• Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health Paul S. Leitman Award (Competitive Admission) (2022)
• American Academy of Neurology Palatucci Advocacy Forum Recipient (Competitive Admission) (2022)

• Child Neurology Society and its International Affairs Committee
• American Academy of Neurology, and member of its Health Care Equity Program
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)
• Council on Children with Disabilities (COCWD)
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Ambassador for the State of Maryland
• Prenatal Exposures Liaison, Maryland AAP Chapter