Epilepsy Program

Our collaborative epilepsy program customizes your child’s treatment plan, making use of the most advanced and appropriate treatment options for your child’s specific needs. Our team of epileptologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons and, if needed, pediatric psychologists and/or neuropsychologists work together to provide well-rounded care and ensure the best results.

Programs

Some of the programs we offer at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s include:

Services

A routine electroencephalogram (EEG) is an early step in diagnosis and management of seizures. This test evaluates brain wave activity to give your doctor better understanding of your child’s condition. It typically lasts between 20 and 40 minutes and requires the skill of one of our registered EEG technicians. The goal is to capture both wakefulness and sleep, so having your child come in ready to take a nap is best.

PEMU is a specialized unit is designed for children who have had any type of event that may represent seizure. Each room is outfitted with video and audio and an EEG records your child’s brain waves. The ability to record and connect the events with the EEG recording helps our team provide an accurate diagnosis.

Neuroimaging helps our team visualize the brain to find the cause of epilepsy. There are a variety of testing methods that your child’s doctor may request. 

The most common is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This test creates a detailed picture of the brain and allows us to look for any structural problems that may explain your child’s epilepsy. Younger children usually need sedation for this test, as they must sit completely still while the pictures are being taken.

We also offer advanced imaging techniques including positron emission tomography (PET), functional and resting state MRI, and single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). 

Fellowship

Not only does our team provide outstanding specialized care for children with epilepsy, we train many of the epilepsy specialists that serve children in our region and beyond. Our Pediatric Epilepsy Fellowship prepares physicians to provide advanced pediatric epilepsy care and to become leaders in improving care for epilepsy.

Research

Our team is also committed to research to help find better ways of treating and managing epilepsy. Many of our team members have been involved in clinical research that has led to new knowledge and improved care.