{"h1":"How Childhood Epilepsy Is Assessed in Children Under 7","faq":[{"a":"An EEG is a key tool, but diagnosis rests mainly on the detailed history of the events. A normal EEG does not rule out epilepsy, and the neurologist decides which tests are needed for your child.","q":"Do I need an EEG to confirm epilepsy in my child?"},{"a":"See a paediatrician or paediatric neurologist first — epilepsy is a medical condition needing prompt doctor-led care. Developmental therapy can support your child alongside medical treatment.","q":"Should I see a therapist or a doctor first if my child has seizures?"},{"a":"A clear description or phone video of any episode, a note of timings, your child's birth and developmental history, and any current medicines. These help the doctor enormously.","q":"What should I bring to the assessment?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-childhood-epilepsy-assessed-in-children-under-7","title":"How Childhood Epilepsy Is Assessed in Children Under 7","entity":{"key":"epilepsy","kind":"condition","name":"Childhood Epilepsy","slug":"childhood-epilepsy"},"parent":{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-is-the-recommended-screening-and-diagnostic-pathway-for-childhood-epilepsy-in-children-under-7","title":"Childhood Epilepsy: Diagnostic Pathway Under 7"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-childhood-epilepsy-medically-managed-in-a-child","title":"How is Childhood Epilepsy medically managed in a child?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-is-childhood-epilepsy-and-what-does-it-look-like-in-early-childhood","title":"What is Childhood Epilepsy, and what does it look like in early childhood?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-childhood-epilepsy-diagnosed-in-a-child","title":"How is Childhood Epilepsy diagnosed in a child?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-childhood-epilepsy-assessed-in-a-young-child","title":"How Childhood Epilepsy Is Assessed in a Young Child"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-causes-childhood-epilepsy-in-children","title":"What Causes Childhood Epilepsy in Children?"}],"summary":"Childhood epilepsy in under-7s is assessed by a paediatrician or paediatric neurologist through a detailed history of the events, an EEG, often an MRI and blood tests. A video of an episode helps greatly. It is a doctor-led medical condition; developmental support comes alongside, not instead of, medical care.","answer_md":"*When a parent first sees a seizure, the questions come fast — and the good news is that childhood epilepsy is something doctors assess carefully and methodically.*\n\n## In short\nEpilepsy in a child under 7 is assessed by a **paediatrician or paediatric neurologist** — not by therapy alone. The cornerstone is a detailed **history of the events** (what happens before, during and after), supported by an **EEG** (a painless recording of brain activity), and often an **MRI** brain scan and blood tests to understand the cause. A clear video of an episode on your phone is one of the most useful things you can bring.\n\n## What the assessment looks at\n- **The story of the seizures** — how they start, how long they last, what the child looks like, and how they recover. Eyewitness detail matters enormously.\n- **EEG** — records electrical patterns in the brain; sometimes done after sleep deprivation to capture more.\n- **Brain imaging (MRI)** and, when needed, blood or metabolic tests to look for an underlying reason.\n- **Developmental review** — because seizures can affect attention, speech, learning and movement, a clinician also checks how your child is growing across these areas.\n\nEpilepsy is a **medical condition needing prompt doctor-led care**, not a therapy-first concern. Once seizures are well managed, developmental support can help your child thrive alongside their medical treatment.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nA clinical [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care — never from an app or online form. For a child diagnosed with [childhood epilepsy](/childhood-epilepsy), we work alongside your neurologist, supporting speech, learning and confidence through [child development therapy](/child-development-therapy).\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO ICD-11 (8A6Z); NICE guidance on epilepsies in children; American Academy of Pediatrics guidance on first seizures.\n\n**Next step —** If your child has had a seizure, see a paediatrician promptly; for developmental support alongside treatment, [book a Pinnacle assessment](/enroll).\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-is-childhood-epilepsy-assessed-in-children-under-7","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-is-childhood-epilepsy-assessed-in-children-under-7","lang":"en","indexable":true},{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-is-childhood-epilepsy-assessed-in-children-under-7-te","lang":"te","indexable":true}],"meta_title":"Assessing Childhood Epilepsy in Under-7s","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Keep a simple seizure diary on your phone — date, time, what happened and how long. This single record is one of the most valuable things a neurologist can review.","published_at":"2026-06-10T10:28:00.07239+00:00","what_to_watch":"Note and, if safe, video any episode: when it started, how long it lasted, body movements, eye position, colour changes, and how your child recovered afterwards.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://icd.who.int/","code":"8A6Z","label":"WHO ICD-11 — Epilepsy (8A6Z)"},{"url":"https://www.nice.org.uk/","label":"NICE — Epilepsies in children and young people"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org/","label":"AAP HealthyChildren — Seizures and epilepsy in children"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T10:28:00.07239+00:00","meta_description":"How childhood epilepsy is assessed in children under 7 — history, EEG, MRI and developmental review, led by a paediatric doctor. Warm parent guide.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}