Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Program
Finding new ways to diagnose, treat, and cure epilepsy in children
According to the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona, an estimated 6,100 children in Arizona have epilepsy, and about 1,800 of those children have intractable (difficult to treat or cure) seizures that require specialized care.
In addition to the physical consequences of the disease, intractable seizures often limit a child's social life and can prohibit activities like bike riding, swimming, and driving.
Dr. Jeffrey Buchhalter, a Pediatric Epileptologist previously with the Mayo Clinic-Rochester, has launched the Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Program within the Hospital's Children's Neuroscience Institute.
An avid researcher into the surgical treatment of epilepsy, Buchhalter has either directed or co-directed epilepsy programs at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Oregon Health Sciences University, and the Mayo Clinic.
While Phoenix Children's has been treating epilepsy patients for some time, the program has expanded to include a comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and a dedicated nursing staff specially trained in pediatric epilepsy.
In addition to prescribing standard epilepsy drugs, the program offers alternatives such as the ketogenic diet, vagus nerve stimulator, and epilepsy surgery.
In pediatrics, there's an issue of time
Whether an adult reads a book today or five years from now, it doesn't make much difference in their brain. But for a child, it does because, as Dr. Buchhalter explains, "Their developmental escalator is moving. And every seizure is a step off the escalator."
This simple visual encapsulates the unified urgency to continue building Phoenix Children's comprehensive epilepsy program.
The PCH Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
The Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (PEMU) is a unit reserved specifically for epilepsy patients and their families. Each room is outfitted with video equipment and beds that provide a clear line of sight. Once the child experiences a seizure, videotape captures the episode; simultaneously, the child's brainwaves are recorded. The combination of feedback during an actual seizure leads to more accurate diagnoses.
If the brainwaves are normal during an event, epilepsy can usually be ruled out.
Surprisingly, this applies to about one-third of all patients admitted.
If the child experienced an actual seizure, observing the patient on video and correlating it with what is going on in their brain will lead to an accurate diagnosis and treatment options.
In each patient's room, you'll find physicians prescribing the latest therapies and nurses who are specifically trained for this complex type of care.
Collaborative, enhanced care
Dr. Buchhalter has brought in top talent, uses new technology, and customizes patient plans based on the latest developments in treatment.
Specialized medical equipment, pediatric patient rooms, and pediatric specialists -- in addition to the hospital's family-centered focus – make the Children's Neuroscience Institute uniquely qualified to treat pediatric patients.
"There's a community in need, a pent up demand for this particular service, a physician base that is accepting of this high-quality new program, a nursing staff that's enthusiastically embracing it and making the program grow, and a Hospital administration that is informed, forward thinking, and committed. You don't find this everywhere," remarks Dr. Buchhalter. "You can't make anything really great happen without resources and the leaders saying 'we want to go to the next level.'"
And the momentum of this pediatric epilepsy program is just one example of many, demonstrating the progressive nature of this specialty Hospital.
Additional resources
Information about seizures (PDF)
The Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona
Request information from the Emily Center Family Health Library at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
Meet the physicians
