First Seizure Clinic
Caring for Patients After Their First Seizure
A seizure can be one of the scariest medical events someone can experience or witness, and so many questions arise when a person who has never had seizures before suddenly has one for the first time.
Patients deserve a thorough evaluation, complete explanations, and a thoughtful plan of action after having a first seizure, and we are pleased to offer a specialized First Seizure Clinic, where patients have an appointment with one of our epileptologists (neurologists who are seizure specialists) and nurse specialists, as well as access to the latest diagnostic testing and therapeutic options available in the field.
Tests that are commonly performed in patients who have had a first seizure include a brain MRI and an EEG. These can sometimes help to identify a specific cause for a seizure, although often no particular cause is found. The results of these tests also help us to estimate how likely it is that another seizure will occur, and whether the use of anti-seizure medication is warranted to help lower this risk. While many individuals do not go on treatment after a single seizure, in some people with an elevated risk of future seizures, beginning an anti-seizure medication could be appropriate.