Department of Pediatric Neurology and Epileptology - Municipal Hospital Karlsruhe

About the Department of Pediatric Neurology and Epileptology at Municipal Hospital Karlsruhe

The Department of Pediatric Neurology and Epileptology at the Municipal Hospital Karlsruhe specializes in the diagnostics and treatment of congenital and acquired diseases of the nervous system: pathologies of the brain and spinal cord, as well as neuromuscular disorders. The doctors of the medical facility are especially focused on the treatment of epilepsy – the department has been certified by the German Society of Epileptology (DGfE). Depending on the severity of the disease and its course, both inpatient or outpatient medical care is offered, for example, the diagnostics and treatment of all acute neuropediatric diseases are carried out only on an inpatient basis. The department's specialists have modern equipment for a comprehensive examination of the child's nervous system, the results of which are the basis for developing the most effective treatment regimen. The healthcare professionals use the very latest drugs during the treatment in order to completely eliminate a neurological disorder or compensate for its symptoms, providing the child with a high quality of life. Only highly qualified experts work with young patients, who can find optimal solutions even in extremely complex clinical cases. The department is headed by Dr. med. Peter Krieg.

The department's excellent equipment and modern infrastructure, as well as the availability of effective treatment methods and reliable medicines create optimal conditions for providing top-class medical services for the diagnostics, treatment and follow-up monitoring of the young patients with diseases of the nervous system. In addition to standard diagnostic protocols, including laboratory tests, brain imaging, encephalography and myography, innovative genetic tests and unique neuropsychological diagnostic programs are actively used here. The procedures of this kind allow the doctors to obtain comprehensive information about the condition of the child, detect the cause of the development of the pathology and choose the most effective treatment tactics. It is also worth noting that the treatment of neurological disorders in children requires a special approach, so the specialists from the related disciplines are often involved in the process.

One of the key focuses of the department's clinical practice is the provision of medical care to children suffering from epilepsy. The main manifestation of the pathology are spontaneous periodic convulsive seizures caused by changes in the electrical activity of the brain. During such seizures, the child usually loses consciousness, breathing is disturbed, involuntary urination is possible, the child rolls his eyes and makes sudden head movements. Epilepsy is a complex disease that has many clinical forms, making its diagnostics a complicated task. The main diagnostic methods are electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging. An assessment of the child's mental development is also required, since epilepsy often provokes mental disorders. Should the diagnosis be confirmed, the doctors will determine the exact type of epilepsy and begin planning the treatment that will allow the child to permanently get rid of epileptic seizures and lead a full life. To combat epilepsy, the department's pediatric neurologists use modern anticonvulsants. The specialists usually prescribe a single medication, and as the intensity of the seizures decreases, the dosage of the medication is gradually reduced until it is completely canceled. The course of drug therapy for epilepsy in children is quite long and takes years. At the same time, it is important to strictly follow the specialist's prescriptions and take the drugs until the end of the course, even if the epileptic seizures have disappeared, otherwise there will be a risk of their return. After the intake of medications, more than 80% of young patients get rid of the disease once and for all. In the case of drug-resistant epilepsy, a surgical intervention may be required, which is performed by neurosurgeons.

The department often deals with the treatment of children with chronic headaches. The department's specialists set themselves the task of detecting the cause of constant headaches in a child and providing effective treatment. The diagnostic stage involves a clinical examination, an assessment of the complaints of a young patient and instrumental tests (EEG, MRI, or CT scans). The necessary laboratory tests are also carried out. Based on the results obtained, a course of drug therapy is prescribed. The attending physician also gives recommendations on lifestyle modifications – the child needs an appropriate rest, a diet correction with its saturation with vitamins, outdoor walks, a moderate physical activity and the elimination of stressful situations.

The department's medical team also provides medical care to the young patients with infectious lesions of the nervous system, vascular diseases of the brain (for example, a stroke in children), movement disorders of a neurological origin, neoplasms of the brain and spinal cord. The healthcare facility also successfully treats traumatic brain injuries and traumatic spinal cord injuries. An individual treatment regimen is developed for each child, which allows the doctors to guarantee the best result.

The department specializes in the diagnostics and treatment of the following neurological diseases in children:

• Diseases of the brain and spinal cord
  • Epilepsy
  • Malformations
  • Neurodegenerative diseases
  • Neurometabolic diseases
  • Vascular pathologies of the brain and spinal cord
• Tumors of the central and peripheral nervous systems
• Neuromuscular diseases
• Motor disorders of a neurological origin
• Developmental disorders due to the preterm birth, hypoxia, accidents, brain lesions in newborns, genetic disorders and metabolic disorders
• Other diseases and pathological conditions

The department's range of diagnostic and therapeutic services includes:

• Diagnostic options
  • Electroencephalography (EEG)
    • Awake EEG
    • EEG sleep monitoring
    • Long-term video-EEG monitoring
  • Imaging tests
    • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
    • Sonography
    • X-ray
  • Laboratory diagnostics, including cerebrospinal fluid analysis
  • Electrophysiological studies of the nerves and muscles
  • Comprehensive assessment of the child's development (motor skills, speech, and mental development) using different testing
• Therapeutic options
  • Drug therapy
  • Botulinum toxin injection therapy for spasticity
  • Multimodal treatment for chronic headaches
• Other medical services

Photo of the doctor: (c) Städtische Klinikum Karlsruhe