Specialty Focused Recordings: Seizures and Epilepsy-Changing The Lives of Children With Epilepsy

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Sarah Kiefer, a pediatric nurse practitioner at Children’s National, presents an overview of epilepsy surgery evaluation and treatment in children. Drug-resistant epilepsy is generally defined as failure to achieve seizure freedom after two appropriately tried medications. Because ongoing seizures can impair development, cognition, and quality of life, early referral to a comprehensive epilepsy center is important.<br /><br />The evaluation combines non-invasive tests—such as video EEG, MRI, functional imaging, and neuropsychological testing—with invasive monitoring when needed. Subdural grids or stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) help locate seizure sources and map critical brain functions. A multidisciplinary team reviews the findings to determine the safest treatment.<br /><br />Options include removing or disconnecting seizure-generating brain tissue, laser ablation, and neuromodulation devices such as VNS, DBS, and RNS. Patient cases illustrate how treatment is tailored to seizure location, brain function, age, and family preferences. Reported outcomes include seizure freedom, fewer seizures or medications, and improvements in learning and daily life. The presentation emphasizes that surgery may be underused, that minimally invasive approaches are expanding, and that age alone should not delay intervention when surgery is safe.

Keywords

pediatric epilepsy

epilepsy surgery

drug-resistant epilepsy

video EEG

MRI

SEEG

neuromodulation

children's national