“What Type of Doctor Treats Epilepsy?”
10th August 2022
A common question that we get asked at National Epilepsy Training is ‘which type of doctor treats epilepsy?’. It’s a simple enough question, but the answer is slightly more complicated than you might expect. Whilst a neurologist would be the most typical answer you might receive, epilepsy is actually managed by a care team made up of a range of healthcare professionals.
A typical epilepsy care team might include:
Neurologist (or Epileptologist)
A neurologist is a doctor who specialises in treating brain disorders, such as epilepsy. Neurologists can diagnose and treat a number of neurological conditions, such as strokes, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone and many more. An epileptologist is a neurologist who specialises in the treatment of epilepsy.
Neuropsychologist (or Clinical Psychologist)
A neuropsychologist is a psychologist who specialises in identifying the neurobiological causes of a brain disorder, which can range from injury or trauma, to strokes and infections. A neuropsychologist will be a typical part of an epilepsy care team helping to evaluate cognitive and learning issues should they arise.
Epilepsy Specialist Nurse
An epilepsy specialist nurse is a nurse practitioner with specialist training in the field of epilepsy. Epilepsy nurses are on hand for a wide range of responsibilities and form an important part of the care team managing the wellbeing of the person with epilepsy and their families. Epilepsy nurses also support the continuity of care across the care team and look to improve clinical outcomes with their specialist knowledge.
General Practitioner (GP)
A GP will be a key member of a person’s overall care team. GP’s may or may not have a specialist knowledge of epilepsy akin to that of an epileptologist or epilepsy specialist nurse, but will prescribe medications and work alongside the neurologist to ensure high quality care.
Paediatrician (Children Only)
A paediatrician is a doctor that specialises in the medical treatment of children. A paediatrician may or may not have the required specialist knowledge of epilepsy, but will still form a crucial part of the care team that manages the wellbeing of the child.
