Epilepsy support services
You should see your GP as soon as possible if your child has had a suspected seizure and you did not go to the hospital at the time. Your child’s GP is normally responsible for their general medical care but will usually refer them to a paediatrician (a doctor who specialises in treating children) and may also refer to the Children’s Epilepsy Clinic.
The Paediatric Epilepsy Clinic at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust
How do I access the service?
If you think your child is having seizures, you should firstly make an appointment with your GP who can take a detailed history of events and refer into our Epilepsy clinic- you should be seen within 2 weeks, but current wait times are up to 2 months. (Sooner if your child's condition is classed as urgent). If your child is admitted to hospital with possible seizures, the doctors on the ward can also refer into our service and you are likely to be seen by a member of our team during your child's admission and treatment plan initiated at that time.
If a diagnosis of Epilepsy is made, you will receive regular follow up in our clinic for a minimum of two years and will have access to our direct telephonic helpline, which you can contact Monday-Friday between the hours of 9am-5pm if you have concerns or queries between appointments.
What do I do if I need help with my medication?
If your child is having seizures and you aren't due to be seen in our clinic for some time, we can make adjustments over the phone in between appointments. We will inform your GP of any changes made to doses or medications so that they can prescribe it as recommended by us.
What happens when a child/young person turns 18 years old?
When your child reaches 18 years of age, we will see you in a transition clinic to hand them over to the adult Epilepsy team. In that clinic appointment, we will discuss your child's epilepsy and inform the adult team of your child's current diagnosis, treatment and plans for the future. We also discuss driving, employment, contraception and alcohol use during the consultation. Transition to adult care will be explained when your child is around 14 years of age, the prepare them for what to expect when they are formally handed over.
What happens if a child/young person moves out of Shropshire/Telford?
If you move out of Shropshire/Telford, we will ask you to register your child with a GP who can refer you into the local Epilepsy service in that area. We can provide you with any relevant documentation to pass onto the new team so that they are up to date with all of your child's medical needs. We will continue to provide you with help and support until you are seen locally.
How do I contact the service?
Patients supported by the service can contact the team via our telephone helpline which is available Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. They can also contact us via email.
We are based in Children's Outpatients at The Princess Royal Hospital, so will also see you face to face in our clinics and on the Children's ward if your child is admitted with seizures.
Useful info/ signposting:
We use various resources, all of which can be found online. The most reliable and up to date information about all aspects of Epilepsy, including seizure types, medication options and local support can be found on the Epilepsy Action and Epilepsy Society webpages.
There is also a local support group in Shropshire- The Shropshire Epilepsy Support group that can signpost you to helpful resources that you can access locally.
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