Notes

What Is a Seizure Monitor?
A seizure monitor can be an important tool for many people with epilepsy. Seizure monitors detect and alert family or carers when a person is having a seizure. They can help a person reposition themselves after a seizure, give rescue medication or call for medical assistance if they are not breathing properly or if the seizure lasts too long.

Currently marketed devices can detect seizures in three different ways: movement, sound, or heart rate. Emfit NZ These are based on an algorithm that decides when to trigger a seizure alert.

Movement sensors – mainly worn as bed sensors - are usually the first choice for most patients and can pick up seizures that involve fast, shaking movements (such as tonic clonic or grand mal seizures). However, this type of sensor is known to miss seizures, especially those involving focal onset seizures and can have a high false alarm rate.

Another type of sensor is a pulse oximeter, which can pick up changes in your oxygen levels when you have a seizure. These are usually available from your doctor or through insurance.

There are also many other options on the market that can pick up changes in your heart rate when you have a seizure, such as fitness watches or exercise bands with heart rate functionality. These are often more expensive but can be helpful if you know your heart rate is changing during your seizures.

A seizure monitoring program involves a team of specialists, including an epileptologist and a nurse practitioner. This team performs EMU testing, which includes observation of a patient’s seizures by video and electroencephalogram (EEG). It is a valuable investigation for some patients with epilepsy, as it helps to determine the cause and type of their symptoms, which can be crucial in making the right treatment decisions.
Homepage: https://epilepsyseizure.co.nz/