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Diagnosis

Epilepsy in children and adults

Filadelfia is Denmark’s specialized Epilepsy Hospital, providing diagnosis at the highest international level. It is important to get an accurate diagnosis.

Annual hospitalizations

1.350

Annual outpatient consultations

6.000

People with epilepsy in Denmark

76.000

Annual patients in EMU

250

Diagnosis

Preliminary Examination and EEG

As a new patient, you will be called in for a preliminary examination and EEG.

Both children and adults undergo preliminary examinations at either the ‘Department for Children with Epilepsy’ or the ‘Department for Adults with Epilepsy’. An EEG is an examination that records the brain’s electrical activity. EEG takes place in Filadelfia’s EMU at the Neurophysiology Clinic.

Diagnosis

Epilepsy Genetics and Personalized Medicine

We map the genes of 400 new patients each year

It is now possible to test the entire genome or parts of it for potential genetic causes of epilepsy. Sometimes, the genetic change and its physiological consequences can explain how the body will react to medication. This allows doctors to tailor medical treatment accordingly. Personalized medicine is constantly evolving, and the Epilepsy Hospital increasingly uses it. The Department of Epilepsy Genetics and Personalized Medicine offers services for both children and adults.

Diagnosis

General Information about Epilepsy

It can be very important to get a diagnosis and thus an explanation of why you or your loved one has epilepsy. We have gathered answers to some questions here.

Why do people get epilepsy?

Epilepsy disrupts the brain’s electrical activity from a few seconds to several minutes. The brain then normalizes to a greater or lesser extent.

The cause of epilepsy in newborns and young children is often genetic defects or birth injuries. In young adults, the cause is usually unknown, while in older adults, it often results from strokes or brain tumors.

To læger i dialog på Epilepsihospitalet, Filadelfia.
Two doctors in dialogue at the Epilepsy Hospital, Filadelfia.

Is epilepsy hereditary?

Yes, epilepsy can be hereditary. There is a genetic cause for epilepsy in about 30% of patients who have their first seizures in their early years.

It can be important to get a genetic diagnosis and thus an explanation of why you or your loved one has epilepsy. This not only provides certainty but can also remove feelings of guilt.

It also allows for targeted genetic counseling and, in some cases, the possibility of tailoring medical treatment.

What are focal seizures?

A seizure is called focal if the abnormal electrical activity begins in a specific area of the brain. You are awake during a focal seizure, but in some cases, consciousness is affected. There can be jerking in the arms, legs, and face on one side of the body. You may also experience sensory changes affecting smell, sight, hearing, and taste. There can be automatic movements such as chewing, smacking, and meaningless speech. In some cases, the focal seizure can spread and cause generalized seizures and convulsions.

What are generalized seizures?

A seizure is called generalized if the abnormal electrical activity in the brain is in both hemispheres from the beginning of the seizure. During a generalized seizure, you are unconscious, and there can be convulsions throughout the body. The convulsive seizure often lasts up to two minutes.

You can also have generalized seizures without convulsions, such as absence seizures, which involve a brief loss of consciousness lasting seconds. Myoclonus seizures are those where there are short jerks in, for example, an arm. Often, these are so brief that consciousness does not register them.

What is status epilepticus?

Status epilepticus is a condition with continuous epileptic seizures lasting over five minutes or repeated seizures with only a few minutes of pause between them.

What is PNES?

PNES, also called functional seizures, resemble epileptic seizures but without changes in the brain’s electrical activity. PNES seizures are often mistaken for epilepsy. Approximately 20 percent of the patients referred to the Epilepsy Hospital each year for difficult-to-treat epilepsy are diagnosed with PNES.

In PNES, the following are observed:

  • Convulsive seizures with shaking in the arms and legs
  • Stiffness in the body
  • Jerking in the arms and legs
  • The person is unresponsive

Diagnosis

The Epilepsy Hospital Filadelfia is nationwide

We tailor our diagnostic services depending on whether the patient is a child, an adolescent, or an adult. We also have a special section for adult patients with epilepsy and a disability, a long-term section, and a section for adults diagnosed with PNES.

Children with Epilepsy

Filadelfia’s Department for Children with Epilepsy is for children and adolescents up to and including 17 years old. As a new patient in the Neuropediatric Department, the first step is a preliminary examination at the Outpatient Clinic. Blood tests, observation, and video recordings of seizures at home or in the hospital may be included, along with MRI scans, EEG, and genetic testing in the diagnostic process.

Skærmbillede af EEG fra Epilepsihospitalets EMU
Screenshot of EEG from the Epilepsy Hospital’s EMU

Young People with Epilepsy

If you are young—up to 17 years old—you will be admitted to the Department for Children with Epilepsy in the Neuropediatric Department. Transitioning from childhood to adulthood can be difficult, and it can be especially challenging if you have epilepsy and are in a hospital.

We encourage you to contact us if you need to talk about things that are important to you. We offer conversations about topics such as sleep, sexuality, alcohol, and medication. You may also have questions about psychological symptoms like anxiety and depression. Remember, you are not alone, and we are here to help you.

Adults with Epilepsy

As an adult patient, your first step is a preliminary examination at the adult outpatient clinic. During hospitalization for diagnosis, the doctor will determine the level of supervision needed. For example, there may be a need for an alarm to detect seizures. You will have a private room.

We have several wards for our adult patients:

  • Epilepsy Ward for Adults
  • Ward for Epilepsy with Disabilities
  • Long-Term Ward E
  • Psychotherapeutic Ward

We have a special ward for adults with disabilities. Filadelfia’s “Epilepsy with Disabilities” ward is for physically and mentally disabled patients with epilepsy that is difficult to treat. Typically, close observation over time is needed. Our Long-Term Ward E is for patients who reside in the ward. The Psychotherapeutic Ward admits patients with PNES and/or epilepsy.

Adults with PNES

It is called PNES when you have epileptic seizures without abnormalities in the brain’s electrical activity. Doctors use EEG to examine whether there are changes in electrical activity. If there are no changes, the diagnosis is PNES. The Psychotherapeutic Ward at Filadelfia is a very special hospital ward for adults with PNES. Psychotherapeutic treatment can support you in living with PNES and improve your quality of life in your daily routine.

How to Get Referred

The free choice of hospital ensures that patients can freely choose the Epilepsy Hospital for examination and treatment – on par with public hospitals. The referring doctor needs to use the following information.

Epilepsy Hospital Children’s Outpatient Clinic: SKS code 3011013, location number 5790002277436
Epilepsy Hospital Adult Outpatient Clinic: SKS code 3011011, location number 5790002277412
Epilepsy Genetics Outpatient Clinic: SKS code 3011015, location number 5790002504181
Epilepsy Hospital Filadelfia,
Clinical Neurophysiology Department: SKS code 301108, location number 5790000198535 

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