Eysz, Inc.

Childhood absence epilepsy is one of the most prevalent pediatric epilepsy syndromes, but diagnostic delay is common and consequential. Childhood absence epilepsy is diagnosed by history and physical examination including hyperventilation with electroencephalography (EEG) used to confirm the diagnosis. Hyperventilation produces generalized spike-wave discharges on EEG in >90% of patients with childhood absence epilepsy and provokes clinical absence seizures consisting of brief loss of consciousness typically within 90 seconds. Child neurologists report a high volume of referrals for children with “staring spells” that strain already limited health care resources. Resources are further strained by the use of EEG for monitoring antiseizure medication effectiveness with unclear benefit. In this review, we examine the safety and efficacy of hyperventilation activation as a tool for the diagnosis and management of childhood absence seizures.

Telehealth's first literature reference is an article in 1879 in the Lancet about using the telephone to reduce unnecessary office visits (Institute of Medicine & Board on Health Care Services, 2012). However, providers have been slow to adopt telehealth into their clinical practice secondary to barriers such as cost and reimbursement (Kane and Gillis, 2018) [2]. The advent of shelter in place orders combined with the ongoing need defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma "for all Americans, and particularly vulnerable populations who are at heightened risk, to be able to access their providers" has resulted in the rapid implementation of telehealth across multiple specialties. The goal of this paper is to provide a practical framework for translating quality care in epilepsy as defined by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) guidelines into a virtual care environment. We will also discuss the use and limitations of point of care testing in epilepsy management.