History of pediatric neurosurgery in the United States and Canada.

Neurosurgery was sporadically practiced on children from prehistoric times until the Harvey Cushing era. The formal development and teaching of the specialty was begun by Franc Ingraham under Cushing's direction in 1929. The growth of pediatric neurosurgery at Boston Children's Hospital under the direction of Franc Ingraham and Donald Matson until the late 1960s is described, as is its subsequent spread throughout the United States and Canada. More recently, a number of societies and journals have played important roles in shaping and advancing the specialty. Currently, a proposal to require additional training for certification in pediatric neurosurgery is being considered by several organizations in North America.