Pediatric Epilepsy Center

Pediatric Epilepsy Center

Children with epilepsy receive expert medical and surgical care at the Level 4 Pediatric Epilepsy Center at Children's Health℠ in Dallas. We specialize in complex epilepsy surgeries and comprehensive services to help your child.

Epilepsy Centers (NAEC). It means we offer a complete spectrum of advanced services for your family in one convenient location. Your child benefits from the latest diagnostic tools, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, services like nutritional and psychological counseling, as well as access to clinical trials.

Seizures occur when abnormal electrical impulses overstimulate the brain. There are many different causes for seizures and epilepsy such as brain malformations, genetic, brain injury and infection among others. There are approximately three dozen epilepsy syndromes and at Children’s Health℠ we have the expertise to diagnose and treat all of these. We provide expert care for children with rare and complex types of epilepsy like intractable epilepsy, as well as more common types.

We bring together top pediatric epileptologists (board-certified neurologists with specialized training in epilepsy), neurosurgeons and other experts to provide the therapies and resources your child needs to enjoy the best life possible. We also offer advanced epilepsy services at our Level 3 epilepsy center in Plano.

When you choose Children’s Health, your child receives care at one of the country’s top Pediatric Neurology and Neurosurgery Programs, as rated by U.S. News & World Report.

Conditions We Treat

Our care team is with you and your child at every step

The National Association of Epilepsy Centers recognizes Children’s Medical Center Dallas’ Comprehensive Epilepsy Program as a Level 4 Pediatric Epilepsy Center. Level 4 epilepsy centers have the professional expertise and facilities to provide the highest level medical and surgical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.

Advanced epilepsy diagnosis and treatments

Our highly skilled pediatric neurosurgeons specialize in the latest diagnostic tests and therapies to help children experiencing common to complex seizure disorders. Your child benefits from:

Expert diagnosis through electroencephalograms (EEGs), functional MRIs (fMRI) PET, SPECT, MEG
Robotic stereotactic assistance (ROSA®) to place stereo electroencephalography (SEEG) electrodes
Nonsurgical treatment options including anti-seizure medications and dietary therapies
Surgical procedures using robotic assistance to access difficult-to-reach areas of the brain through very small incisions
Laser Interstitial Thermoablation (LITT)
Respective surgery guided by electrocorticography (ECOG)
Neuromodulation through devices such as Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS)
Access to promising new therapies in clinical trials

Dedicated Clinics

We have specialized clinics for children diagnosed with Rett Syndrome. Our Rett and Related Disorders Clinic is a Center of Excellence, as recognized by the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF). Epileptologists at this clinic have dedicated their careers to providing best-in-class medical care for children living with Rett syndrome.

We also have dedicated clinics for children who have:

Angelman syndrome
Autoimmune epilepsy
Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES)
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)

A team approach to care

Epilepsy impacts all parts of a child’s life. Our Pediatric Epilepsy Center brings together experts and resources to provide coordinated patient care that supports your family as your child grows.

Your child benefits from:

Behavioral interventions, to help children experiencing developmental delays or other issues
Child Life Program, to help children and families understand their epilepsy and treatment plan
Dietitians, who specialize in dietary therapies like the ketogenic diet to reduce seizures
Neurogenetics disorders program and genetic counseling, to support families affected by inherited epilepsy
Neuropsychology program, to evaluate the effects of epilepsy on a child’s learning abilities, speech and behaviors
Psychiatrists and psychologists and support groups, to help children and families cope with the stress of a chronic illness
Transition to adult care, for when your child outgrows pediatric care and moves into adulthood

Resources for parents and caregivers

Resources

Transitioning to Adult Neurology Guides for Age 15 (pdf), Age 16 (pdf), Age 17 (pdf) and Age 18 (pdf)

Advanced epilepsy diagnosis and treatments

Our highly skilled pediatric neurosurgeons specialize in the latest diagnostic tests and therapies to help children experiencing common to complex seizure disorders. Your child benefits from:

Expert diagnosis through electroencephalograms (EEGs), functional MRIs (fMRI) PET, SPECT, MEG
Robotic stereotactic assistance (ROSA®) to place stereo electroencephalography (SEEG) electrodes
Nonsurgical treatment options including anti-seizure medications and dietary therapies
Surgical procedures using robotic assistance to access difficult-to-reach areas of the brain through very small incisions
Laser Interstitial Thermoablation (LITT)
Respective surgery guided by electrocorticography (ECOG)
Neuromodulation through devices such as Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS)
Access to promising new therapies in clinical trials

Dedicated Clinics

We also have dedicated clinics for children who have:

Angelman syndrome
Autoimmune epilepsy
Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES)
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)

A team approach to care

Epilepsy impacts all parts of a child’s life. Our Pediatric Epilepsy Center brings together experts and resources to provide coordinated patient care that supports your family as your child grows.

Your child benefits from:

Behavioral interventions, to help children experiencing developmental delays or other issues
Child Life Program, to help children and families understand their epilepsy and treatment plan
Dietitians, who specialize in dietary therapies like the ketogenic diet to reduce seizures
Neurogenetics disorders program and genetic counseling, to support families affected by inherited epilepsy
Neuropsychology program, to evaluate the effects of epilepsy on a child’s learning abilities, speech and behaviors
Psychiatrists and psychologists and support groups, to help children and families cope with the stress of a chronic illness
Transition to adult care, for when your child outgrows pediatric care and moves into adulthood

Resources for parents and caregivers

Resources

Transitioning to Adult Neurology Guides for Age 15 (pdf), Age 16 (pdf), Age 17 (pdf) and Age 18 (pdf)

H'lyia's story: A resilient teen, her dedicated mom and their medical journey

High school senior, H'lyia, 17, is one of those kids whose schedule is packed with activities. Throughout high school, she’s been an active member of the mock trial team. She participates in the National Honor Society and Top Teens of America, a youth program that focuses on cultural, academic and civic activities.

Caeden and Breccan’s story: Expert care for complex epilepsy

Caeden's doctors said not to panic when he had his first seizure at only 9 months old. It's not uncommon for young children to have a seizure and usually it doesn’t indicate a serious health problem. But they raised the red flag when he had several more.

Paisley's journey from 100 seizures a day to living seizure-free

Paisley is a little girl with a big personality. She's a kind friend, a curious learner and an energetic athlete who wants to be a cheerleader when she grows up. The past year has been a big one for Paisley: She started kindergarten and welcomed a new, four-legged member to her family. But most notably, the 5-year-old also underwent brain surgery and found relief from the nearly 100 epileptic seizures she used to have each day.