Today we bring you the conclusion of our conversation with epilepsy expert Nancy Nussbaum, Ph.D., ABPP-CN (see the show notes for Part 1 for Nancy’s bio). We cover a range of topics including the role of a clinical neuropsychologist on an interdisciplinary team, common academic challenges, various treatment options, providing psychoeducation for families, and much more. We also ask Nancy about her experience as President of the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN) and advice regarding leadership in the field.
A pdf of the transcript for this episode is available here: NavNeuro Transcript_23_Pediatric Epilepsy – With Dr. Nancy Nussbaum (Part 2)
Show notes (with time stamps)
- Common anti-epileptic drugs (AED; 01:21)
- Alternative treatments (3:57)
- The trade-off between removing epileptogenic tissue and chronic cognitive and emotional deficits (7:49)
- What is the role of a neurologist and neuroradiologist on an interdisciplinary team? (10:39)
- What is the role of a neuropsychologist on that interdisciplinary team? (12:10)
- Timeline of testing (14:52)
- Special considerations for the diagnostic interview of a pediatric epilepsy case (15:26)
- Neuropsychological battery for pediatric epilepsy post-surgery (17:09)
- Do you give feedback to the child, family, or both? (19:47)
- Vagus nerve stimulation (20:39)
- Ketogenic diet (21:36)
- CBD (24:11)
- How common are pediatric epilepsy cases? (25:28)
- Academic difficulties in children with epilepsy (27:39)
- Strategies for managing seizures in a school setting (29:28)
- How does a diagnosis of epilepsy affect driving? (30:14)
- Providing psychoeducation to the family about their child with epilepsy (31:59)
Resources
Epilepsy Foundation: www.epilepsy.com
References
Chelune, G. J. (1995). Hippocampal adequacy versus functional reserve: predicting memory functions following temporal lobectomy. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 10(5), 413-432.
Kanner, A. M., Ashman, E., Gloss, D., Harden, C., Bourgeois, B., Bautista, J. F., et al. (2018a). Practice guideline update summary: Efficacy and tolerability of the new antiepileptic drugs I: Treatment of new-onset epilepsy: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Neurology, 91(2), 74-81.
Kanner, A. M., Ashman, E., Gloss, D., Harden, C., Bourgeois, B., Bautista, J. F., et al. (2018b). Practice guideline update summary: Efficacy and tolerability of the new antiepileptic drugs II: Treatment-resistant epilepsy: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Neurology, 91(2), 82-90.