Epilepsy Program

• Using the most effective anti-seizure medications to control seizures. This is also called pharmacological management.
• Enrolling interested families on clinical studies of the newest experimental anti-seizure medications.
• Implementing the Ketogenic Diet, a high fat, low carbohydrate diet that facilitates the body's production of its own natural anticonvulsants, ketones.

When seizures don't respond to medication or the Ketogenic diet, our specialists may recommend surgical therapies including:

• Performing brain surgery to remove the brain tissue where an epileptic seizure starts.
• Implantation of a Vagal Nerve Stimulator, a small pacemaker surgically placed under the skin below the collarbone that delivers a small burst of electrical energy to the vagal nerve (a nerve in the neck) to reduce seizures.

Although many children's epileptic seizures can be managed on an outpatient basis, Children's offers inpatient management (located on 9-North) when necessary for seizure control or for surgical management.

Outpatient Services

Children's outpatient epilepsy services are provided at our Boston campus on the 9th floor of the Fegan Building, and in the following communities throughout Greater Boston: