In My Words is a short interview series with our education medical leads and community participants about the practical impacts of the ECHO Epilepsy program.
Epilepsy in Children and Youth: Foundational Program
This series aims to enhance core competencies for the management of epilepsy.
JANUARY 6 - FEBRUARY 24, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM | MONDAYS WEEKLY
This curriculum covers a spectrum of skills and knowledge that relate to diagnosis, seizure semiology, ASMs, common epilepsy syndromes, and more. The program is designed for primary care providers and/or healthcare practitioners who are seeking fundamental knowledge in epileptology.
Next Session
February 10, 2025
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
S6. Common Pediatric Epilepsy Syndromes

Patient Case Support
Healthcare providers can present your de-identified case for advice, support and written recommendations.
This series is facilitated by the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

Syllabus
This Group Learning program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto for up for up to 1.0 Mainpro+ credits.
This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, approved by Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. You may claim a maximum of 1.0 hours.
- Review current definitions of seizures and epilepsy
- Describe the basic mechanisms of seizures
- Review the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification of seizures and epilepsies
- Differentiate between focal and generalized epilepsies
- Distinguish between absence seizures and focal seizures
- Identify key clinical features that help to differentiate seizure types that manifest with non-motor semiology
- Describe status epilepticus
- Recognize the management of prolonged seizures
- Review seizure safety
- Recognize common seizure mimics by history and semiology
- Describe characteristics of non-epileptic events
- Identify seizure mimics that deserve proper diagnostic and medical intervention
- Describe the key patient factors to consider when choosing antiseizure medications
- Recognize process for titration and adjusting medications
- Identify potential adverse effects of medications for epilepsy and strategies for mitigation
- Identify common pediatric epilepsy syndromes (Benign Rolandic, West Syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut, Childhood Absence, Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy)
- Classify the appropriate tests and procedures for a child presenting with a seizure and/or epilepsy
- Recognize the difference between work up for acute symptomatic seizure vs. that for suspected epilepsy
- Identify the clinical use and limitations of EEG in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy
- Describe the merits of various neuroimaging techniques in epilepsy and their indications
Didactics & Recordings
Clinical Leads

Dr. Lauren Sham, Paediatric Neurologist and Epileptologist
Medical Lead

Dr. Elizabeth Donner, Paediatric Neurologist and Epileptologist

Dr. Elizabeth Kerr, Neuropsychologist

Heather Oliveri, Social Worker

Laura Wang, Clinical Pharmacist

David Carlone, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Elana Ellison, Epilepsy Community Support

Katie Armstrong, Epilepsy Community Support

Karen Owusu, Epilepsy Nurse Practitioner
Register
NOTE: Zoom Registration is working, you will receive a Zoom email confirming registration after you complete the form. However you may also receive this onscreen message “echo.zoom.us refused to connect” after registering. Do not be concerned, we are looking into this issue. But please email us at epilepsy@echoontario.ca if you do not receive the Zoom Registration Confirmation Email within 5 minutes of registering.