{"h1":"Your child's AbilityScore with childhood epilepsy: what next","faq":[{"a":"No. The AbilityScore is a developmental snapshot across skills like communication, learning and movement — measured against your child's own baseline. Seizures and epilepsy severity are assessed by your paediatric neurologist, who remains in charge of medical care.","q":"Does the AbilityScore measure my child's epilepsy or seizure severity?"},{"a":"Seizure control comes first. Keep your neurology appointments and report any change in seizures. Developmental therapy runs alongside medical care, and at Pinnacle our clinicians coordinate with your treating doctor rather than working around them.","q":"Should I start therapy before seeing the neurologist?"},{"a":"No. A single number cannot diagnose anything. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under a qualified clinician, who reads the full profile with you.","q":"Can the AbilityScore number tell me my child's diagnosis?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-0-100-what-should-we-do-next","title":"AbilityScore next steps for childhood epilepsy","entity":{"key":"epilepsy","kind":"condition","name":"Childhood Epilepsy","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Context","value":"context"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Support","value":"support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Measure","value":"measure"},{"kind":"route","label":"Book-Assessment","value":"book-assessment"},{"kind":"score_band","label":"As 000 100","value":"as_000_100"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Early Clarity","value":"early_clarity"}],"parent":{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-100-200-what-should-we-do-next","title":"AbilityScore 100–200 with Childhood Epilepsy: what to do next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-200-300-what-should-we-do-next","title":"AbilityScore 200–300 with Childhood Epilepsy: What to Do Next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-300-400-what-should-we-do-next","title":"AbilityScore 300–400 with Childhood Epilepsy: Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-500-600-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Childhood Epilepsy & AbilityScore 500–600 — What To Do Next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-400-500-what-should-we-do-next","title":"AbilityScore 400–500 with Childhood Epilepsy: what to do next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-900-1000-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Childhood Epilepsy: Next Steps at a 900–1000 AbilityScore"}],"summary":"The AbilityScore is a developmental baseline, not a measure of epilepsy or seizures. For a child with epilepsy, seizure control with your neurologist always comes first; developmental support runs alongside. The full profile under the number matters more than the number — and only a Pinnacle clinician can read it with you.","answer_md":"*You have a number in your hand and a question in your heart — what now? Here is exactly what that AbilityScore means, and the calm, clear next steps.*\n\n## In short\nFirst, the most important thing: childhood epilepsy is a **medical condition**, and a paediatric neurologist directs its care — not a therapy plan. The AbilityScore is **not** a measure of seizures or epilepsy severity; it is a structured snapshot of how your child is developing across communication, learning, movement and daily skills. If seizures are not yet well-controlled, or if your child has recently had a change in seizures, your *first* call is to your treating doctor — that comes before everything else.\n\n## What the AbilityScore is — and isn't\nThink of the AbilityScore as a developmental **baseline**, measured against your child's *own* starting point rather than against other children. Many children with epilepsy develop beautifully; some may need extra support in speech, attention, learning or motor skills, sometimes linked to seizures or to medication. The score simply helps a clinician see clearly where your child is strong and where a little support would help — so nothing gets missed.\n\nThe single number matters far less than the **profile underneath it**. Two children with the same score can need very different things. That detail is read by a qualified clinician with you, not from a form.\n\n## When to act, and in what order\n- **Seizure control comes first** — keep your neurology appointments, and report any change in seizures, alertness, or new developmental slips promptly to your doctor.\n- **Developmental support runs alongside** — once seizures are managed, targeted therapy (such as [speech and language](/speech-therapy) or occupational support) can build the skills the score highlighted.\n- **Re-measure over time** — development moves in spurts and plateaus; comparing your child to their own earlier baseline shows whether support is working.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nA clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under the care of a qualified clinician — never from an online figure alone. With 25 million+ therapy sessions and 4.95 lakh+ families supported across 70+ centres, our clinicians work *with* your neurologist, never around them. Start by understanding [what the AbilityScore is and how it is read](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated), explore [therapy support](/speech-therapy), or [begin here](/).\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO ICD-11 (8A6Z, epilepsy); guidance from NICE on epilepsies in children and young people; American Academy of Pediatrics developmental guidance; Pinnacle Blooms Network clinical studies.\n\n**Next step —** Bring the score to people who can read it in full. [Book a clinician-led assessment](/enroll) at Pinnacle, and keep your neurology appointment as your first priority.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-0-100-what-should-we-do-next","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/my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-0-100-what-should-we-do-next","lang":"en","indexable":true},{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-with-childhood-epilepsy-has-an-abilityscore-of-0-100-what-should-we-do-next-te","lang":"te","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"}],"meta_title":"AbilityScore & Childhood Epilepsy: Next Steps","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Keep a simple daily diary of seizures alongside little developmental wins — a new word, a calmer transition, following an instruction. It helps both your neurologist and your therapy team see the real picture together.","published_at":"2026-06-10T10:40:00.078442+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"understand","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-childhood-epilepsy-affect-a-child-s-daily-life","title":"How Childhood Epilepsy Affects a Child's Daily Life","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-childhood-epilepsy-considered-a-disability","title":"Is Childhood Epilepsy Considered a Disability?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-childhood-epilepsy-genetic-or-hereditary","title":"Is Childhood Epilepsy Genetic or Hereditary?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-common-myths-about-childhood-epilepsy","title":"What are common myths about Childhood Epilepsy?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-types-or-levels-of-childhood-epilepsy","title":"What are the types or levels of Childhood Epilepsy?","reason":"Same 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