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Epilepsy Research

Epilepsy represents the most common serious neurologic problem affecting children. 

Investigators at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are studying how epilepsy impacts children’s psychosocial skills and long-term outcomes of children following epilepsy surgery.  

Faculty Focused on Epilepsy Research

Lorie D. Hamiwka, MD
Charlotte T. Jones, MD, PhD
Anup D. Patel, MD

Latest Research Findings

Social Skills in Children with Epilepsy

Studies have shown poor long-term social outcomes in adults with childhood-onset epilepsy. This study compare social skills in children with epilepsy with those of healthy and chronic disease children. Results suggest that having a chronic disease plays a role in the social functioning of children with epilepsy.

Access an abstract of this study: Social skills in children with epilepsy: how do they compare to healthy and chronic disease controls?  Epilepsy Behav. 2011 Jul;21(3):238-41.

How do Social Skills in Children with Epilepsy Compare to Healthy and Chronic-Disease Patients?
Studies have shown poor long-term social outcomes in adults with childhood-onset epilepsy. This study’s goal was to compare social skills in children with epilepsy with those of healthy and chronic disease controls. Our results suggest that having a chronic disease plays a role in the social functioning of children with epilepsy.

Access an abstract of this study: Social skills in children with epilepsy: how do they compare to healthy and chronic disease controls? Epilepsy Behav. 2011 Jul;21(3):238-41.

Current Grants

Genetic Study of Common Forms of Epilepsy, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Warren Lo)

An Assessment of Social Functioning in Childhood with Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Lorie Hamiwka)

Open-Label, Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Long-Term Follow-Up Study to Evaluate Safety and Efficacy of Study Drug Used as Adjunctive Treatment in Pediatric Subjects with Epilepsy, Anonymous (Anup Patel)

Open-Label, Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Pharmacokinetic, Safety, and Efficacy Study of Adjunctive Administration of Study Drug in Subjects from Greater Than or Equal to 1 Month to Less Than 16 Years Old with Epilepsy, Anonymous (Anup Patel)

Ongoing Studies

Genetic variants that predict and influence epilepsy treatments and surgical outcomes.
The purpose of the study is to develop pilot data and feasibility for studying tissue to determine genetic patterns that may reflect epilepsy severity and response to treatment. (Lorie Hamiwka)

An Assessment of Social Functioning in Childhood with Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy.
The purpose of the study is to develop pilot data and feasibility for studying peer relationship and social outcomes in children with new onset epilepsy. (Lorie Hamiwka)

How Do Parents Learn About Epilepsy:  Written Handouts or Lived Experiences?
The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of written information on parents’ knowledge and concerns about epilepsy. (Lorie Hamiwka)

The transition from home to surgical unit and anticonvulsant administration.
This study is being completed in concert with a quality improvement initiative to improve anticonvulsant administration on the morning of surgery. The research portion of this project is to determine if parents believe missing a dose of medication increases the risk of a seizure and if this is associated with the likelihood of missing a dose of medication. (Charlotte Jones)

Can we predict efficacy of treatment for ESES based on specific factors from their EEG?
The goal of this study is to determine if there are certain predictive factors in the long-term video EEG (LTM) of patients with electrical status epilepticus of sleep (ESES) that can help predict patient response to treatment. (Anup Patel)