Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
We provide comprehensive care for children with epilepsy and seizure disorders, offering advanced diagnostics, treatment, and family support.
Supporting children and families
Our Comprehensive Epilepsy Program is here to support children and families facing the challenges of epilepsy and seizures. With one of the nation’s top-ranked children’s hospitals and an accredited Level IV Epilepsy Center, we offer the highest level of specialized care. Our team of expert doctors, nurses, and specialists work closely with each family to create a personalized treatment plan, using the latest technology and therapies to help every child reach their best possible outcome.
We understand that epilepsy affects the whole family, so we provide compassionate support, along with education and resources every step of the way. Whether your child is newly diagnosed or seeking advanced treatment options, we are dedicated to offering the most innovative care available so your child can thrive, and your family can feel confident about the future.
Caring for what matters most – your child
Here are some of the many reasons families trust us for personalized epilepsy care.
Primary Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Brain and Spine program is ranked #10 in the nation and #1 for clinical outcomes in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report (2024-2025).
Primary Children Hospital is also accredited as a Level IV Epilepsy Center, the highest level of specialized epilepsy care available.
Our dedicated team performs over 900 neurosurgeries annually, including more than 170 epilepsy surgeries. Your child receives care from some of the most experienced experts in the country.
We offer the latest in epilepsy care, including advanced diagnostic testing, medication management, and cutting-edge surgical options. Our team leads the way in neuromodulation therapies, such as Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), and responsive neurostimulation (RNS).
Every child’s journey with epilepsy is unique. Our multidisciplinary team works closely with families to create individualized treatment plans.
As a teaching hospital for the University of Utah School of Medicine, Primary Children’s Hospital is at the forefront of pediatric epilepsy research and innovation. Our team participates in groundbreaking clinical trials and trains the next generation of pediatric neurologists and neurosurgeons.
Comprehensive epilepsy research
Research is a key part of how we care for children with epilepsy. Our team is always looking for better ways to diagnose, treat, and manage seizures — especially for kids who don’t respond to standard medications. We are proud to have one of the busiest pediatric epilepsy centers in the country, and our doctors are national leaders in using advanced therapies like responsive neurostimulation (RNS), which can help reduce seizures when other treatments haven’t worked. By taking part in important research studies and clinical trials, we’re able to offer families access to the latest treatment options and hope for better outcomes. Our commitment to research means your child can benefit from the newest discoveries in epilepsy care, and families can feel confident knowing we’re working every day to improve the lives of children with epilepsy.
Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) Research
Primary Children’s is a national leader in advancing the use of responsive neurostimulation (RNS) for children with drug-resistant epilepsy. RNS is a small device placed in the brain that can sense unusual brain activity and send gentle electrical pulses to help stop seizures before they happen. This treatment is especially helpful for children whose seizures have not improved with other therapies. Research shows that an RNS device can reduce seizures by 50% or more within the first year, with continued improvement over time. This innovative therapy is transforming outcomes and quality of life for children who have not responded to other treatments.
Caring for children with epilepsy takes the expertise and dedication of a true team. Our nationally ranked epilepsy program brings together pediatric neurologists, neurosurgeons, epilepsy specialists, nurses, therapists, and support staff all working closely to give your child the very best care.
- Pediatric neurologists are experts in diagnosing and managing seizures and epilepsy, helping your family find answers and the most effective treatments.
- Epilepsy neurosurgeons perform advanced surgical procedures, including minimally invasive surgeries and innovative therapies like responsive neurostimulation (RNS), Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to help children with drug-resistant epilepsy.
- Epilepsy specialists and fellows ensure your child has access to the latest research, new treatment options, and individualized care plans.
- Nurses, therapists, and support staff support your family every step, from education to hands-on care and recovery at home.
When your child is cared for by our epilepsy team, they’re at the center of a uniquely collaborative approach. Here, specialists from multiple fields combine their knowledge to tailor solutions for each child. No two care plans are exactly alike. Our team doesn’t just treat epilepsy; we work together to find the most effective therapies, offer support, and empower families at every turn.
Comprehensive epilepsy conditions we treat
Children with epilepsy and seizure disorders receive specialized, family-centered care through our Pediatric Epilepsy Program. We treat a wide range of epilepsy types and related neurological conditions, from common seizure disorders to rare and complex syndromes. Our team uses the latest diagnostic tools and therapies to help each child achieve the best possible outcome.
Epilepsy conditions we treat include:
- Focal (partial) epilepsy: Seizures that start in one area of the brain, including complex and simple partial seizures.
- Generalized epilepsy: Seizures that affect both sides of the brain, such as absence, myoclonic, atonic, and tonic-clonic seizures.
- Infantile spasms: A rare but serious type of epilepsy that typically begins in infancy.
- Genetic epilepsy syndromes: Including Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and other inherited forms of epilepsy.
- Drug-resistant (refractory) epilepsy: Epilepsy that does not respond to standard anti-seizure medications.
- Epilepsy related to brain injury or malformations: Seizures caused by brain injury, tumors, or developmental differences.
- Epilepsy with co-occurring conditions: Such as epilepsy with autism, developmental delays, or other neurological disorders.
- Rare and complex epilepsy disorders: Including those requiring advanced diagnostics, surgical evaluation, or neuromodulation therapies (like VNS, DBS, or RNS).
National recognition and distinctions
Prioritizing quality care means putting each child and family at the center of everything we do. We deliver compassionate, expert treatment that has earned us national recognition for excellence and innovation in pediatric neurological and spine care.
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Ryan Ford
Ryan Ford’s journey with Dravet syndrome began almost at birth, with feeding challenges and her first prolonged seizure by four months old. Diagnosed at 14 months, she and her family faced relentless seizures—sometimes 300 to 400 a day—and repeated hospitalizations that upended daily life for everyone. When standard treatments failed, Ryan’s care team at Primary Children’s Hospital introduced them to responsive neurostimulation (RNS), an innovative device typically used in adults. At just six years old, Ryan became the first child with Dravet syndrome to receive RNS surgery at the hospital, a leap of faith that brought hope to her family.
The months following surgery were challenging, but the results have been life changing. Ryan now has fewer than five short seizures a day and recovers within minutes, giving her the chance to participate more at school and in family life. The biggest difference, her mother says, is not living in constant fear—a freedom that recently allowed them to take their first family cruise. While RNS isn’t a cure or the right solution for every child, Ryan’s story offers hope to families navigating drug-resistant epilepsy that new possibilities are emerging, and no one has to face the journey alone.
