Seizures
Emergency referrals
If any of the following are present or suspected, phone 000 to arrange immediate transfer to the emergency department or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.
It is proposed that the following conditions should be sent directly to emergency. This is not a list of all conditions that should be sent to the emergency department, it is intended as guidance for presentations that may otherwise have been directed to general paediatric outpatients:
Does your patient wish to be referred?
Minimum referral criteria
Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days is desirable
- All children with recent onset of clinically obvious seizures
Children who have been seen by a paediatric consultant in emergency with a first seizure may not require a category 1.Most children seen in emergency following a first seizure will be discharged when stable and specialist follow up should be arranged by their GP if required.
- Unstable epilepsy requiring re-evaluation and management
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- Known epilepsy with stable management who are transferring care and do not have a specialist available for advice or management
- Children with episodes that may be suggestive but are not conclusively epilepsy
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- Known epilepsy with stable management who are transferring care and have appropriate interim care arrangements in place
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria
Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis.
If you still need to refer your patient:
- Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
- Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service
Other important information for referring practitioners
Not an exhaustive list
- An EEG should be performed only to support a diagnosis of epilepsy in children and young people. If an EEG is considered necessary, it should be performed after the second epileptic seizure but may, in certain circumstances, as evaluated by the specialist, be considered after a first epileptic seizure. An EEG should not be performed in the case of probable syncope because of the possibility of a false-positive result. The EEG should not be used to exclude a diagnosis of epilepsy in a child, young person or adult in whom the clinical presentation supports a diagnosis of a non-epileptic event.
- Encourage parents to keep diaries of events and video an event if possible
- Epilepsy Queensland: http://www.epilepsyqueensland.com.au/
- If you have a reason to suspect a child in Queensland is experiencing harm, or is at risk of experiencing harm, you need to contact Child Safety Services: https://www.communities.qld.gov.au/
- In the majority of cases it is thought inappropriate for children to wait more than 6 months for an outpatient initial appointment
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Fax: 1300 364 952
Electronic: eReferral system
Mail: Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
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