Epilepsy in children

Diagnosis 

A healthcare provider will diagnose epilepsy in children after a series of examinations and testing that may include: 

• Physical examination: During a physical examination, a healthcare provider will check your child’s vital signs, learn more about their symptoms, and take a complete medical history, including a detailed biological family history. 
• Neurological examination: A healthcare provider will evaluate how your child’s brain and nervous system are functioning. 
• Blood tests: A healthcare provider may order blood tests to check if an underlying condition has caused your child’s symptoms. 
• Imaging tests: Imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can help your child’s care team learn more about their brain activity. 
• Electroencephalogram (EEG): This painless test measures your child’s brain’s electrical activity. 

These tests help your healthcare provider understand the underlying causes of your child’s seizures and rule out conditions that may be causing them. An epilepsy diagnosis may take time and usually does not happen overnight. 

Treatment   

Treatment options for epilepsy in children can include the following: 

• Medications for seizure control: Antiseizure medications are often prescribed to manage and reduce the frequency of seizures. These medications work by preventing abnormal electrical activity in the brain that leads to seizures. It is crucial for your child to take these medications as prescribed to maintain their effectiveness. 
• Surgery: In cases where medications do not effectively control seizures, specialized brain surgery may be recommended. This surgical intervention aims to target the underlying cause of epilepsy in your child. 
• Implanted medical devices: Advanced medical devices can be implanted to assist in managing epilepsy symptoms when medications prove insufficient. Common devices include: 
  • Vagus nerve stimulator (VNS): This device delivers controlled electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, helping regulate brain cell activity. 
  • Deep brain stimulator (DBS): DBS devices send precise electrical currents to specific brain areas to modulate their function.
• Ketogenic diet: For children with challenging-to-treat epilepsy, the ketogenic diet may offer benefits. This dietary approach involves a high-fat, low-carbohydrate meal plan and should be closely supervised by a medical team.