Epilepsy

New Onset Seizure Program

Before the first visit, one of our nurses will gather information about your child’s medical history and request any past test results.

During your child’s first visit, the epileptologist (neurologist who specializes in the treatment of epilepsy) will provide a thorough physical exam and ask a lot of questions about the symptoms your child is experiencing. You and your child will meet other providers during this visit as well. The clinical psychologist will perform a screening that covers a wide variety of behavioral and emotional issues.

At the end of the appointment, the team will talk with your family about its findings, make treatment recommendations and answer your questions. Unless additional testing is needed, the treatment plan can begin as soon as your family is ready. The initial treatment plan typically involves medication management.

Testing

Depending on your child’s condition and recent medical history, he or she may undergo testing during or after this first visit to the clinic. This testing may include:

• Electroencephalogram (EEG) to evaluate electrical activity in the brain for a short period of time
• Ambulatory EEG to evaluate electrical activity in the brain for hours or days at a time during your child’s everyday activities.
• Video/EEG monitoring to evaluate EEG while simultaneously videotaping the child during sleep. This allows the doctor to see how the child’s behavior during seizures is related to the brain’s electrical activity. 
• Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI), an imaging test that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of the brain and the brain stem
• Electrocardiogram (EKG), which checks for problems with the electrical activity of the heart.

About one month after treatment begins, your child will come to the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center for a follow-up appointment. These take longer than a routine doctor’s appointment—typically one to two hours.

During the first year of treatment, your child will return to the clinic on a regular schedule, usually about four times a year. During every follow-up visit, your child will be seen by a nurse practitioner, who will focus on medical issues such as seizure control and medication side effects, and a clinical psychologist, who will focus on how your child is doing in areas such as mood, behavior and learning. They communicate frequently with our epileptologists, who are available to answer questions and provide guidance as needed.

Your child will undergo blood work at most follow-up visits. At some visits, the psychologist will provide a screening to help identify any problems that may need to be addressed.