Pediatric Epilepsy Program

Mission

The mission of the UAB Pediatric Epilepsy Program at Children's of Alabama is to provide the best care possible to the children of Alabama and surrounding regions whose lives are affected by seizures.

 
Our program uses the latest technologies and state of the art facilities to diagnose and treat seizures. Treatments include medications, dietary modifications, epilepsy surgery, and neuromodulation when seizures remain poorly controlled. To advance epilepsy care, we are also actively involved in research in pharmaceutical and neuroimaging/ engineering methodologies.

We have a close working relationship with the Departments of Neurosurgery, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Psychology, Clinical Nutrition, Sunshine School, Social Work, and Child Life. This specialized interdisciplinary team forms the core of our efforts to combat epilepsy and related conditions while providing compassionate and individualized care. We strive to nurture trust by ongoing communication and family education with the goal of empowering them to deal with an often chronic condition.

Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (inpatient)
The Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) is a state of the art, child friendly, epilepsy monitoring unit accommodating up to 8 patients daily. Our EMU is designated Level 4 by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC), which is the highest level for units specializing in a continuum of care for patients, from seizure diagnosis to invasive monitoring for surgical planning.

Our skilled staff is comprised of a collaborative team of epileptologists, EEG technologists, nurse practitioners, nurse clinicians, and staff nurses. The EEG technologists have more than 100 years of cumulative experience in electroneurodiagnostics. From a centralized monitoring room, 24 hours a day our EEG techs monitor and analyze data from the patients undergoing inpatient video EEG monitoring. Patient rooms are private, spacious, and the windows offer a beautiful view of the Birmingham area. Patients are scheduled to stay anywhere from 1-6 nights, and parents are allowed to stay in the room for the duration of the stay.

EEG Lab (outpatient)
The EEG Lab is accredited by the American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic Technologists (ABRET) and is open Monday through Friday. The main lab is at the McWane Building, while a satellite outpatient lab is located at Children’s South. Services provided in the outpatient settings include routine EEG monitoring and ambulatory EEG monitoring. EEGs are performed with state-of-the-art equipment in a child friendly setting. The lab is also recognized as a training site for students pursuing the EEG field as a profession.

The neurophysiology department also performs the following types of tests and monitoring at Children’s of Alabama:

• EEG, Continuous bedside
• EP (Evoked Potentials)
• IOM (Intraoperative Monitoring)
• Cortical stimulation for brain mapping
• Nerve conduction studies
   

UAB Pediatric Neurology
1600 7th Avenue South, Suite 314 
Children's Harbor Building
Birmingham, AL 35233

Office: 205-638-2551
Fax: 205-638-2602

Help End Epilepsy Specialty Car Tag

A specialty license plate is available to residents of Alabama who want to show their support of children with pediatric epilepsy. In a collaboration between the Pediatric Epilepsy Program at Children’s of Alabama and the Epilepsy Foundation of Alabama, the Help End Epilepsy tag is providing valuable funding for patient care, education, research, and specialized physician training for the Pediatric Epilepsy Program at Children’s of Alabama.

You can renew or purchase your Help End Epilepsy specialty tag at any Alabama Department of Motor Vehicle location for a cost of $50 – and $41.25 of that will be donated to Children’s.

DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLE LOCATOR

Please visit Children's of Alabama Specialty Car Tags for more information.