Our ACH Pediatric Sedation Unit is currently one of 10 children's hospitals recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Society for Pediatric Sedation (SPS).
At Arkansas Children’s Neuroscience Center, our nationally renowned specialists give expert care for children suffering from a wide range of neurological disorders, treating brain, nervous system, and neuromuscular disorders. Our patients benefit from innovations like the non-invasive brain mapping technology called magnetoencephalography (MEG). Everything we do is to make children better today and healthier tomorrow.
Our team of specialists works together through a multidisciplinary approach to clinical collaboration so each child has an entire team of experts personalizing care for improved outcomes. Our goal through this team approach is to maximize your child’s development and quality of life. Our team provides state-of-the-art care to transition our patients through life - from birth through childhood, adolescence and into early adulthood.
With leading-edge research to advance knowledge, we are creating new approaches to improved patient care in many areas of neurological and neurosurgical care. Our team is finding new solutions for epilepsy treatment and management, including medication, specialized diet and epilepsy surgery.
Arkansas Children’s Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Program is the only program in the state with a National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) Level 4 accreditation, providing the most advanced care for children with epilepsy. Our board-certified doctors are trained to evaluate, diagnose and create an individualized plan for your child. Learn more about our neurology program.
The designated COEs demonstrate strengths in providing excellence in clinical care and research and will collaborate with HNF to expand their role as CMT/IN patient community hubs for clinical care, community engagement, research, and training/education.
Every staff member at Arkansas Children’s understands that any issue or illness experienced by your child concerns the entire family. We approach every aspect of care - from the initial diagnosis to long-term care management - from a personalized patient perspective, but also from the family perspective. Regardless of individual circumstances, our model of care provides safe, high quality and comprehensive medical care, while supporting each patient and family member with:
Most seizures end after 1 to 2 minutes without harm. These seizures do not usually require a trip to the emergency room. You do not usually have to do anything if a person has brief periods of staring or shaking. Seizure first aid should be used with shaking or jerking lasting longer than a few seconds.
What is Diastat?
Diastat is a rectal medication of diazepam (valium) approved for treatment of prolonged seizures or clusters of seizures.
When should Diastat be given?
Diastat should be given for seizures lasting longer than five minutes or a cluster of seizures that occurs one right after the other.
How soon should the seizure stop after giving Diastat?
After giving the Diastat, the caregiver should notice effects of the medication within five minutes. If the seizure continues another five minutes, a second Diastat can be given as well as seeking medical attention (call 911 or going to local emergency room).
If Diastat stops the seizure, what should you do?
Continue to monitor the child. It is not always necessary to take him/her to the emergency room unless he/she is having trouble breathing or has become injured during the seizure.
What are the side effects of Diastat?
The most common side effect is sleepiness. The child will most likely be tired from the seizure activity, also. Other less likely side effects include: dizziness, headache, abdominal pain, nervousness, feeling unsteady or clumsy, or a rash.
Helpful Hints
Although your child has been diagnosed with a seizure disorder, we encourage you to let your child live a normal life. Children with seizures do not usually have any physical limitations or activity restrictions.
There is a chance that your child could lose consciousness during a seizure, so there are certain circumstances that your child should avoid or be closely monitored. Your child’s life could be at risk if he/she were to lose consciousness during certain activities.
Please be aware that your child may have increased seizures when he/she is sick, running a fever, sleep-deprived, or under stress. It is also very important that your child not miss his/her medication because this could cause increased seizures.
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