Epilepsy monitoring unit just for kids now open in the Children’s Tower

A dedicated specialty unit within our new Children’s Tower is now open and ready to welcome its first patients on June 26. The epilepsy monitoring unit is designed for kids who need to be in the hospital for intense seizure monitoring. Before the opening of the Children’s Tower, children shared an epilepsy monitoring unit with adult patients at VCU Medical Center.

“Earlier this week, the great news came out about CHoR being ranked among the nation’s top children’s hospitals in eight specialties, including neurology and neurosurgery,” said Elias Neujahr, CHoR president. “The care this team provides to children with epilepsy and seizure disorders undoubtedly shines in our rankings and the work they will do in this new child-focused unit will impact the lives of so many families.”

One of these families is Natalie Garcia’s. Now 14 years old, Natalie was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer – or glioblastoma – at age 9. She’s been through three complex neurosurgeries, radiation and epilepsy treatment at CHoR and continues to beat the odds.

“The journey for many of our patients is a long, hard road,” said Dr. Nassim Zecavati, director of epilepsy services at CHoR. “With the opening of this new unit, we’re celebrating all the care we’ll be able to provide for these children with complex neurological conditions moving forward.”

Four of the six beds are open immediately, with two more available for when the need arises.

“This unit matters. It may seem small at six beds, but it punches well above its weight,” said Dr. Gordon Smith, chairman of the Department of Neurology at VCU. “We’re not only serving the families right around us, but throughout the commonwealth and beyond.”

Fast facts about CHoR’s new epilepsy monitoring unit

• 100% kid focused unit
• 4 beds available on opening day, with room to grow to 6 as demand increases
• Dedicated playroom with complete monitoring capabilities so kids can safely enjoy time outside their hospital rooms
• Anticipate serving approximately 300 kids per year in need of this specialized care
• 168 children received epilepsy monitoring in the inpatient setting in calendar year 2022
• 3,000 patients with seizures were cared for in our inpatient and outpatient settings combined in 2022
• 1.8 days is the average length of an inpatient stay in the unit
• One of only two centers in the state of Virginia with NAEC certification as a Level 4 Epilepsy Center, offering the most sophisticated monitoring, treatment and surgical options for children with epilepsy
• EEG lab is among a select group in the country to be accredited by ABRET, the national source for neurodiagnostic credentialing and accreditation, for meeting high technical standards and demonstrating quality output while providing care for kids of all ages

Discover more about all of the nationally ranked neurosciences care at CHoR.