The Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (PEMU) is a specialized unit designed to evaluate children experiencing events suspected to be seizures.
Children usually stay in the PEMU from two to five days, based on how quickly seizure activity is detected. A parent or caregiver must stay overnight with their child.
What is the PEMU?
- The PEMU is a specialized unit for seizure monitoring by video and EEG, located on eighth floor of Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus.
- The PEMU is designed to evaluate children of all ages to improve treatment for epilepsy or seizures.
- Our PEMU is staffed by a team of experienced, compassionate EEG technologists who will place the EEG leads and do repairs daily as needed. In addition to the EEG wires, your child will be hooked up to:
- An ECG (electrocardiography)
- A pulse oximeter (which provides readings of the oxygen level in your child's blood)
- A pediatric epileptologist (a pediatric neurologist who specializes in seizure management) reviews all seizures and meets with the family every morning during rounds, usually between 8 - 10 a.m.
What happens during PEMU monitoring?
- EEG electrodes will be placed on the scalp and connected to recording equipment by a long cable. This does not hurt but may be itchy.
- Your child will have continuous EEG with audio and video monitoring.
- Your child’s seizure medication may be decreased or stopped to induce seizures.
- You will have a private bathroom and shower that does NOT have video monitoring in the bathroom area.
- An average stay is two to three nights but may be longer depending on the time needed to complete monitoring.
- A separate sleeper chair is available for a parent or caregiver to stay with their child.
- A parent or caregiver must be present at all times to identify seizure activity.
- Each room is equipped with advanced video monitoring to capture seizure activity while simultaneously recording the child's brainwave activity. This real-time feedback during seizures allows for a more accurate diagnosis.
- Our PEMU is designed for children and their families. Each room includes a:
- Microwave
- Patient bed
- Parent sleeper
- Refrigerator
- Shower and bathing facilities
- Sink
- Storage area
- Telephone
- TV-DVD
- A parent or caregiver can use their cell phone in the PEMU if they wish.
- Children can bring their favorite toys and games to stay occupied.
Preparing for Your PEMU Stay
- Alert the PEMU team to any special equipment or specific diet requirements your child may have.
- Wash your child’s hair before admission. Please do not use hairspray, oils or gels.
- Please bring outside CT or MRI scans, if requested by your doctor.
- Bring ALL home medications. Doctors and nurses will need to verify each medication or supplement.
- Button-up shirts and blouses must be worn during monitoring (no pull-over shirts or dresses). This will allow for easy changing each day. If you do not have this type of shirt available, hospital gowns will be provided.
- Don’t forget personal care items: toothbrush, toothpaste, shower soap, shampoo, hairbrush, etc.
- Bring personal pillows, blankets, books, toys, stuffed animals or other quiet activities preferred by your child to help maintain bedtime routines.
- Hospital meals are provided for the patient. Additional meals can be ordered by parents using a credit card. Refrigerators are available in the PEMU rooms for you to store food and beverages brought from home.
- Please check in at the front desk when you arrive and then go to admitting. Once you are done checking in, you will be directed to the PEMU which is located on eighth floor of Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus.
- Before admission, you may wish to talk to your child about the hospital and any tests or procedures that they may undergo while hospitalized.
- Your physician and the hospital staff can be helpful in explaining the testing to your child.
- Child Life Specialists support patients and families by easing the hospital experience. They provide preparation and support during tests and procedures, offer distraction and coping strategies, and help reduce stress and anxiety through normalization and emotional support. You will meet your Child Life Specialist upon admission. If they are unavailable at that time, you may request child life support during your child's EEG hookup if you anticipate challenges with the procedure. Simply ask your child's nurse or the EEG tech before the procedure begins.
- Simply Sayin’ is an award-winning educational app created by the Child Life team at Phoenix Children’s. It uses pictures, sounds and a glossary of terms to facilitate clear conversations about conditions, treatments and medical or healthcare-related experiences. The app is available free of charge in the Apple App Store.
- Our Journey™ in the Hospital helps patients and caregivers better understand their hospital stay. Pediatric experts at the Emily Center created the Journey Board and other tools for patients and caregivers to be more engaged in the healthcare journey.
- Each room has a television with age-appropriate programming on 12 channels, including English and Spanish stations, available 24 hours a day. Refer to the guide in your child’s room or ask your nurse or Child Life specialist for digital and television schedules and guidance. Programming options include:
- Hospital channels – Go to Channels 81 – 90 for free in-room movies and entertainment. Channel 90 is Phoenix Children’s Spanish only station.
- Borrowed movies and resources – Patients and family can check out movies and other media from The Emily Center. A limited collection of movies is available through Child Life Services.
- Please check with your nurse to borrow a movie. No PG-13 movies are allowed in patient rooms where a child is under the age of 13. The hospital doesn’t permit R-rated movies at any time.
- Video gaming systems are available for checkout and also come around on a mobile cart. At your request, we’ll bring the cart into your child’s room if one is available.
- NOTE: Video game systems are unavailable for use during an sEEG admission (Stereoelectroencephalography). Any portable electronic devices must be unplugged from the wall during use. When these are plugged in, they can create an electric charge that will interfere with the EEG.
- Toys, board games, card games, puzzles, books and craft items are available to check out, but if your child has favorite play items, we encourage you to bring these as well. Items that are available to borrow include (listed by age-group):
- Infant: Crib soothers, sound machines, rattles, teethers
- Toddler: Constructive and manipulative toys (light-up toys, toys with buttons, board books or books with sound, blocks, stacking cups, large crayons, Play-Doh, simple puzzles)
- Preschool: Pretend play toys, building blocks, dolls, small cars, bubbles, books, Play-Doh, coloring books
- School-age: Dolls, Legos, board games, card games, Play-Doh, craft kits, books, puzzles, game systems
- Older school-age and adolescents: Board games, card games, adult coloring books, Legos, books, craft kit, game systems
Frequently Asked Questions
Please notify scheduling at 602-933-1642 if you need to cancel or reschedule. Please reschedule if your child is ill.
Please call 602-933-1642 if there are any changes to your insurance coverage, telephone numbers and home address.
The leads prevent your child from being able to shower during monitoring, but they can have a sponge bath. There is a shower in the room for parents or caregivers to use.
PEMU rooms are single-patient rooms, which include a bathroom, sink, patient bed, parent sleeper chair, small refrigerator and storage area. Camping cots are allowed for parents or caregivers if they choose to bring one from home. Air mattresses cannot be used in the patient room.
Due to the lead placement and continuous EEG monitoring, your child will be confined to their room during their admission. Your child will be able to move about the room. There is a 30-foot cable attached to the back of the EEG head wrap.
Yes. Since we rely on parents or caregivers to help us to observe and recognize the seizure events we are trying to capture on video EEG, overnight stays are required. Staff members can assist with providing bathroom breaks, etc.
Yes, unless otherwise indicated by your physician, your child will continue to take their medication. Please be sure you take all of your home medication with you upon discharge. This will likely be stored in the nurses’ station. All medications are distributed by our hospital pharmacy upon physicians’ order.
We ask the patient to wear shirts with buttons in the front so they can change clothes if they wish. Patients will be unable to pull a shirt over their heads during their stay in our PEMU because of the electrodes that are secured to their head. Hospital gowns are provided as needed.
Each child is different. Labs may be obtained as necessary. Sometimes an IV is required for safety purposes.
Locations
