Seizure disorder Short term monitoring (1627)
Key points below
Your child’s Short Term Monitoring (STM) is on (date) ________________________
at (time) ______________________
in the Neurology Clinic at ______________________
- Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment, to check in.
- If you have questions about insurance, contact your insurance company.
- If you need to reschedule your child’s appointment, please call 414-266-6828
This information will help you and your child know what the STM is and what to expect. If you have questions after reading this sheet, please call 414-266-6828.
If your child has a cold, the flu, or a fever, please call 414-266-6828 before coming for the STM. If your child is ill, the appointment may be rescheduled.
A parent or legal guardian must be present for your child to be checked in. If you are the legal guardian, please be sure we have the legal documents that confirm this. If a parent or guardian cannot come, the STM may be rescheduled. Please call 414-266-6828 to discuss this.
How do we prepare for the STM?
It is very important that your child sleep during the STM. Please have siblings stay home or wait with an adult in the waiting area.
Use this chart to help prepare your child for the test
Age / Amount of sleep
Less than 6 months old:
Do not let your child sleep during the 2 hours before coming
6 to 3 ½ years:
Wake your child at 5:00 am (or 2 hours before normal waking time)
3 ½ to 6 years:
Wake your child at 4:0 am (or 3 hours before normal waking time)
6 years or older:
Wake your child at 2:00 am (or 5 hours before normal waking time)
Teens:
Try to stay awake all night without any naps
- Wash your child’s hair the night before the STM appointment. Use shampoo only.
- Do not put anything else such as cream rinse, conditioner, oil, mousse or hairspray on your child’s hair or scalp.
- Hair must not have braids, extensions, weaves, or hairpieces. If our staff are unable to easily get to your child’s scalp the STM may need to be rescheduled.
- No chemical treatments should be done within 48 hours before the test (coloring, perms, relaxers, etc.)
Please note that there are no food services at the New Berlin Clinic. You may bring your own food and snacks. There is a refrigerator and microwave oven for your use.
What is STM?
- STM is a way for your child’s doctor to see how your child’s brain works during a seizure. The STM machine picks up tiny impulses from the brain and records them. A video camera and microphone will also be used to record during the STM.
- Your child’s healthcare provider will look at the data collected. Your child’s provider will decide what the best treatment will be based on the data.
Does it hurt?
No. Your child will feel no pain during the recording. The EEG electrodes often itch. It may be uncomfortable for your child to sit still while the EEG electrodes are being placed. It takes about 45 to 60 minutes to attach the EEG electrodes.
Can I stay with my child?
Yes. A parent or guardian must be with their child at all times during the STM. If a parent or guardian cannot be present for the whole time your child is here, please contact your child’s nurse before the STM is scheduled.
What should I bring?
Your child will not be able to leave the room while being monitored. Bring plenty of things they like to do. Some ideas are:
- DVDs
- Playing Cards
- Games
- Books
- Schoolwork
- Favorite blanket or stuffed toy
How long will my child be monitored?
- STM is usually _________ hours long.
Safety Information for STM
Your child is having STM to evaluate seizures. These safety tips will help prevent injury if you child has a seizure. The EEG technologist can answer questions you may have about these safety tips.
Do not let your child:
- Jump on the bed or chairs.
- Run in the room.
- Leave the room while STM is being done.
- Play with the video equipment, including the cables.
- Play with sharp toy or objects.
- Sit on the edge of the bed to eat.
- Chew gum.
- Eat hard candy.
Note: A parent or guardian must be with your child at all times during STM.
What can my child do during the monitoring?
- Watch movies and videos. There is a DVD player for your use.
- Use the bathroom.
- Watch TV or listen to the radio. Cell phones and laptops may be used by your child in battery mode only.
What will happen when we get to the hospital?
- An EEG Technologist will ask you questions about your child. You will also learn about how to keep your child safe during the test.
- Markings will be drawn on your child’s head with a red or blue marking pencil.
- The EEG Technologist will clean the skin on your child’s head with a special cleaning lotion.
- About 30 electrodes will be glued onto your child’s head. This glue is a special gauze and glue mixture and does not hurt when it is put on. Your child’s hair will not be shaved to put the electrodes on.
- Once all the electrodes are in place, your child’s head will be covered with a large piece of gauze. This protects the electrodes. The whole set-up for the STM takes about 45 to 60 minutes to complete.
- The electrodes will be attached to a computer with a video camera and microphone.
What about my child’s medicines?
- Give your child their medicine at the normal time before they come to the appointment.
- Bring a list of your child’s medicines to the appointment.
- Your child’s provider will tell you if changes are needed in your child’s medicine, after the STM.
How will I know the results of the STM?
The results of the test will be sent to the provider who ordered the test. It takes about 7 to 10 business days to get the results.