Epilepsy Diagnosis

Our epilepsy specialists are trained to diagnose epilepsy and monitor seizures in children.

Call to schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric epilepsy specialists:

No single test can diagnose epilepsy. It’s a complex process to identify this condition, classify it and determine the cause of seizures. You need an epileptologist, a neurologist with extensive training and experience treating epilepsy, to guide you and your child along the way.

Diagnosing Epilepsy in Children

Your epileptologist will have a discussion with you and your child about their seizures. The epileptologist will also ask detailed questions about your child’s medical history. Knowing their medical history can sometimes help the doctor identify a cause of seizures, such as a head injury, infection or stroke.

Blood tests can check your child’s general health and rule out possible causes of seizures, such as low blood sugar levels or diabetes. And a neurological exam can assess your child’s muscles, senses, reflexes, coordination and cognitive ability.

Your epileptologist may also order other tests including:

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan

This test uses a series of X-rays taken from different angles to create detailed images.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

This scan uses a magnet and radio waves to produce 3D images of the inside of the body including organs, bones, muscles and blood vessels.

Functional MRI (fMRI)

This advanced imaging test measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow. It shows which areas of the brain are active when your child performs specific tasks.

Positron emission tomography (PET) Scan

This imaging test uses a low dose of a radioactive substance to visualize and measure changes in metabolic and other processes in the body and brain, such as blood flow.

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scan

This scan uses a radioactive substance to show and measure blood flow in the brain. It may help identify where seizures start.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

This test detects patterns of normal and abnormal brain electrical activity. This painless test may be done during an outpatient appointment, or your child may be admitted to the hospital. Depending on your child’s needs, we may offer ambulatory monitoring, which allows them to complete testing at home.

Video EEG (Electroencephalogram) This test is primarily used to diagnose epilepsy and seizures. The video records the reaction your child is having, and the EEG measures the brain waves and electrical activity. Your child can receive this test at our six-bed epilepsy monitoring unit in the Level 4 Epilepsy Center at Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital.

Neuropsychological testing

A pediatric neuropsychologist evaluates cognition and behavior as they relate to brain function. A neuropsychological test can provide information regarding a child's:

Attention and concentration
Fine motor skills
Intellectual abilities
Language
Memory and learning
Problem-solving abilities

Neuropsychological testing may involve games, activities and other tasks that assess what your child can learn, pay attention to and remember. Your specialist will use the information they gather from evaluation and testing to:

Help confirm a diagnosis
Record your child’s functioning before and after treatment or surgery
Inform treatment decisions and develop a personalized epilepsy treatment plan
Make recommendations for accommodations at school, at home and in the community

Level IV Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

To determine whether patient's need surgery our epileptologists use technology available in the Level IV epilepsy monitoring unit at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

Pediatric Epilepsy Diagnosis: Why Choose Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital?

When you bring your child to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital for epilepsy diagnosis or monitoring, you’ll find:

Comprehensive patient- and family-centered care: Our multidisciplinary team addresses the medical, behavioral, educational and developmental needs of children with epilepsy and their families.
Skilled team of specialists: Our specially trained pediatric neurologists are board certified and fellowship trained to treat this complex condition. They have years of training and experience managing complex pediatric epilepsy. Our EEG technicians and registered neurodiagnostic technologists are also specially trained in pediatric epilepsy. They are members of ASET – The Neurodiagnostic Society and American Clinical Neurophysiology Society. These professional credentials demonstrate their expertise in pediatric neurodiagnostics.
Advanced technology: We have a six-bed epilepsy monitoring unit with the latest neurodiagnostic testing technology. The unit is continuously monitored 24/7.
Long-term partnership: Your child will change over time, and epilepsy does too. We are committed to partnering with your family throughout the journey. You know your child best, so we communicate and listen to understand these changes and your evolving goals.
Welcoming environment: Our child life specialists make your child and family as comfortable as possible during diagnosis and monitoring. Your child can bring any comfort items with them for testing, and they can touch and feel the equipment to make it less scary. If your child has surgery here, we offer the on-campus Conine Clubhouse as a special home away from home.
Community advocacy: Our program works closely with the community to help people understand epilepsy and reduce stigmas. We partner with the Epilepsy Alliance of Florida to offer resources to families living with this condition. We also provide a range of epilepsy support groups.