Epilepsy Program

You are here because your child is having seizures. Your child is not alone. In fact, nearly 3 million Americans have epilepsy - about 450,000 of them are kids 17 and under.

In West Virginia alone, more than 35,000 people are living with epilepsy - about 8,000 are children and 1/3 of them are medically intractable (medications don’t work).

You’ve come to the right place.

The goal of the WVU Medicine Children’s Epilepsy Program is getting kids to be 100% seizure-free. Our state-of-the-art center is recognized by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers as a Level 4 facility. This is the highest level awarded, which means we provide the most innovative diagnostics as well as the latest surgical and nonsurgical treatments for pediatric epilepsy all while providing support and guidance for families.

Our team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and pediatric seizure specialists (epileptologists) work together to provide the very best care. We have the latest offer procedures to diagnose conditions, perform treatments, and use technologies to monitor seizures that aren’t found at any other hospital in West Virginia.

Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Our Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit is the only one like it in the state with rooms equipped for continuous monitoring of your child’s brain activity. A diagnostic test called an electroencephalogram (EEG) helps us watch brain activity and detect body movements that could be seizures.

Neuroimaging for Children with Epilepsy

Determining the source of your child’s seizures is essential. We use imaging technology to get accurate images of your child’s brain. Our imaging services include:

• High-resolution 3T MRI
• Single-photon emission CT (SPECT)
• Fluorodeoxyglucose PET

Epilepsy Surgery

Many children with epilepsy respond well to medication and may be able to manage their condition through childhood and adolescence and might even grow out of it. However, children whose bodies don’t respond to epilepsy medications (usally after the second to third failed medication) and continue to have seizures have what is known as “refractory epilepsy” or “intractable epilepsy” - both of which mean multiple medications have failed to control a child’s seizures. These children may be candidates for epilepsy surgery.

WVU Medicine Children’s is proud to offer the absolute latest innovative pediatric epilepsy surgeries. These include:

• Neuromodulation: vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and responsive neurostimulation (RNS)
• MRI-guided laser ablation
• Deep brain stimulation
• Resective surgery, which removes the specific parts of the brain causing seizures

Learn more about the WVU Medicine Children’s Neurosurgery Program.

Neuropsychology for Children With Epilepsy

By doing a neuropsychological evaluation, we can pinpoint learning, behavioral, or memory issues your child is experiencing as a result of their epilepsy. Epilepsy can also have a huge impact on your child’s emotions and how your child interacts with others at school and at home. Successfully treating epilepsy is more than simply treating the disease – it requires a whole-person approach to care. Learn more about therapy services offered at our Children’s Neurodevelopmental Center.

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