Seizure Monitors

How do you choose a seizure monitor? Is a seizure monitor even necessary? What is a seizure monitor anyway? These are questions that the parents of epileptic children frequently ask. So what are the answers to these questions?

It all depends on the child, type of epilepsy, type of seizures and many other factors. You have to ask yourself does my child need monitored 24/7? Do they only need to be monitored when asleep? Do I need to record the seizures, or do I just need to know when one starts? There are so many questions out there, and there are just as many options for monitoring as there are questions. You may ask, how, with so many options for seizure monitors am I supposed to choose one over another?

Research is the best way to decide what you need. Your neurologist may have suggestions for you too. Some parents just choose a baby monitor, with or without video. However, Empatica’s Embrace is an option for caregivers that want to be alerted about seizures day or night. They have a smart band that learns to identify your child’s convulsive seizures and will alert you when your child has a seizure. A subscription plan in necessary for the Embrace smart band. If your child doesn’t have convulsive seizures, this monitor will not work.

There is also the SAMi monitor, which is a sleep activity monitor for caregivers who need to watch for unusual movements at night. It will alert you about any possible seizure activity and makes recordings that you can then show the neurologist. This one isn’t a monitor that is portable, so it can’t pick up seizures while you are out and about. If you need 24/7 monitoring, I wouldn’t suggest using this monitor. Emfit is another company that makes a night time monitor for seizures. These are the two companies that I suggest looking into for night time monitoring.

If you need assistance paying for a seizure monitor, the Dannny Did Foundation is out there to help you cover the cost of one monitor for your child. They will also help pay for some other devices that may be necessary for someone with epilepsy. You can contact them here if you have any questions or to find out if you qualify for assistance. You can always ask your neurologist which monitor would be best for your child before purchasing a monitor.