It may be possible to provoke a seizure and record an EEG during the seizure episode, which is beneficial as this is when during sleep) please speak to your doctor or the EEG staff about the implications for the EEG recording. If your child has seizures during specific situations (e.g. If your child has special needs or you think they may not be able to cooperate with the procedure, please contact the EEG staff to discuss your concerns and the best course of action.Younger children may benefit from dummies, bottles and other comforters, so remember to The EEG technologist is experienced in helping children of all ages to relax, and distractions such as toys and DVDs are encouraged. Ideally, your child will need to be fairly still during the recording.If your child has recently had chicken pox, they must be must be completely better in order for the EEG to occur.Please make a new appointment if your child has lice as the test cannot go ahead. They need to have clean, dry hair with no products applied (e.g. Wash your child's hair the night before the EEG.Some children may fear that the machine can read their thoughts or dreams, it is important to reassure your child that this does not occur.ĭuring setup, your child will not feel anything other than their scalp and hair being touched, and the procedure will not hurt at all. The electrodes just record brain activity. There are no X-rays or injections and there is no risk of electric shock. Your child's doctor may request an EEG to find out what's going on in the brain if your child has abnormal movements, seizures or sleep problems.Īn EEG is not harmful. The information is recorded on a computer and interpreted by a neurologist (a doctor specialising in disorders of the brain). The quality of the information provided by the EEG means that it is well worth having if your neurologist feels that it is required.An electroencephalogram (EEG, electro-en-kef-alo-gram) is a safe and pain-free test that records the electrical activity of the brain. The Electroencephalogram is a very useful test and it involves minimal discomfort. It is possible for the expert to decide on where the epilepsy is occurring also by the information provided in this test. This tool is most often used to diagnose epilepsy it can appear as sharp spikes on the graph. The print out may look like just squiggles to a lay person but they can provide the neurologist with plenty of information. The EEG provides a lot of useful information that a trained neurologist can interpret to mean doffing things. There is no need to shave the head and the adhesive glue used is easy to wash off later. These electrodes are then applied to your hear using a special adhesive. This is all done by a trained technician and the aim is to decide on the best placement for the electrodes. There will also usually be some markings made on your head with a special marker that can be easily washed off later.
When you arrive for the test your head is likely to be measured. You need to avoid any alcohol or other mind altering chemicals before the test. It is advised that you wash your hair before arriving and that you don’t apply and type of gel or other hair creams. It is important thought that you inform those taking the test of any medication you are currently taking. There is little bit of preparation required for this type of test.
How to Prepare for an Electroencephalogram These can trigger seizures but you will be in a controlled environment where you will be safe. You might also be asked to look at some flashing lights. This could involve such actions as breathing deeply or blinking. This type of test can be conducted in a hospital or sometimes in a neurology clinic.ĭuring the test itself you will likely be asked to perform certain actions. Any movement can interfere with the results so there will usually be a video to record any movement that occurs so that they don’t flaw the test. In most instances this test takes about an hour or possible two during that time the results the electrical activity is printed onto a roll of paper. It just involves placing electrodes on your head these will then have wires attached and the information will be passed into a special device that can interpret the data.
This type of test is completely painless. The neurons in the brain produce electrical activity and it is for this reason that the test works. This information can provide a lot of useful information. This type of test works by measuring the electrical activity in the brain.
An Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test or scan that is used to diagnose epilepsy and other conditions.