Innovations in Epilepsy

Innovations in Epilepsy

Who we are and who we can become are rooted in the brain. In childhood, the brain is at peak potential for learning and development, yet it is also in its most vulnerable stage.

Brain-related injuries and illnesses can put children’s lives and future abilities at risk. That’s why the Alberta Children’s Hospital has made Brain Health a priority and over the last decade, our community has made significant investments to build strength in this area.

Work is now underway to advance the hospital’s epilepsy program to offer new and better options for thousands of children, one third of whom remain unresponsive to current anti-seizure therapies. This can cause tremendous distress, disruption and uncertainty for them and their families in their day-to-day lives. They urgently need hospital specialists to continue to develop new treatment options and pursue investigations into elusive answers and perhaps even cures.

The new vision for the expanded Alberta Children’s Hospital Epilepsy Program focuses on prevention, research and innovative treatment, with the goal of children and families in our community experiencing faster diagnosis, fewer seizure days, reduced anxiety, coordinated access to testing and care, and personalized treatment paths.

Specifically, the team is focused on three priorities, to:

• Cure children of seizures using high-precision surgical intervention where possible.
• Care for children with individualized and novel therapies.
• Prevent children at risk of recurring seizures from developing epilepsy.