Report from the child neurology education and training workshop at the International Child Neurology Congress 2024: Expert'saddressing the training gap.

This report summarizes the key findings of a workshop undertaken at the International Child Neurology Congress in 2024 by child neurologists with expertise in training education and invested colleagues. The workshop aimed to explore global issues which have impact on access to child neurology training. The major findings supported a great need for more training programs globally, that consensus is needed for the minimum standards of training, and that training programs can be strengthened via global health partnerships especially with collaborations from regions with more available resources.

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures in Children and Adolescents.

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are a common condition seen in children and adolescents. The diagnosis is clinical, based on a description of events, and can be supported using video electroencephalography recording. Children and adolescents with PNES often have comorbid psychiatric conditions and psychosocial stressors, although this is not a requisite for diagnosis.

Child Neurology Education for Pediatric Residents.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the current state of child neurology education during pediatric residency provides adequate preparation for pediatric practice. A survey was sent to recent graduates from 3 pediatric residency programs to assess graduate experience, perceived level of competence, and desire for further education in child neurology. Responses from generalists versus subspecialists were compared.

Diagnosis of Electrical Status Epilepticus During Slow-Wave Sleep With 100 Seconds of Sleep.

Purpose: Strategies for diagnosing electrical status epilepticus during slow-wave sleep (ESES) vary among interpreting neurologists. Our aim was to evaluate if the spike-wave index (SWI) for the first 100 seconds of sleep is reflective of the SWI when compared with a conventional method.

Methods: We reviewed EEGs from 2005 to 2011 that were considered diagnostic of ESES based on unspecified methods.

Views on Careers in Clinical Neurosciences Among Neurosurgeons and Neurologists in China.

Background: China has a large and aging population. The need for physicians with training in clinical neurosciences will grow. There is little known regarding the factors that lead physicians in China to pursue careers in clinical neurosciences.

Comparison of semiologies between tilt-induced psychogenic nonsyncopal collapse and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

We sought to characterize the clinical features of tilt-induced psychogenic nonsyncopal collapse (PNSC) from a cohort of young patients and to compare the semiologies between PNSC and EEG-confirmed psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). A PNSC diagnosis was made if a clinical event occurred during tilt-table testing that the patient regarded as fainting, but neither hypotension nor EEG changes were present. A diagnosis of PNSC was made in 17.

Unique Characteristics of the Photoparoxysmal Response in Patients With Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis Type 2: Can EEG Be a Biomarker?

Objective: The objective was to identify unique features of the photoparoxysmal response seen in patients with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 as compared to patients with a photoparoxysmal response associated with other epilepsy syndromes.

Methods: Electroencephalograms from patients with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 seen at the authors' institution in the past 10 years as well as electroencephalograms (EEGs) reported to have a photoparoxysmal response during a single year were reviewed.

Results: A photoparoxysmal response was seen in 60% of the patients with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2.

Why neurology? Factors which influence career choice in neurology.

Objective: To evaluate the factors which influence the decision to pursue a career in neurology.

Methods: An anonymous survey was developed using a Likert scale to rate responses. The survey was sent to adult and child neurology faculty, residents and fellows, as well as medical students applying for neurology.

Seizure Action Plans and Health Care Utilization.

Investigators from University of Utah School of Medicine studied the impact of a seizure action plan (SAP) on pediatric patients with epilepsy by measuring health care utilization as an outcome measure.

Breadth versus volume: Neurology outpatient clinic cases in medical education.

This study examined how volume in certain patient case types and breadth across patient case types in the outpatient clinic setting are related to Neurology Clerkship student performance. Case logs from the outpatient clinic experience of 486 students from The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, USA, participating in the 4week Neurology Clerkship from July 2008 to June 2013 were reviewed. A total of 12,381 patient encounters were logged and then classified into 13 diagnostic categories.

Utility of Neurodiagnostic Studies in the Diagnosis of Autoimmune Encephalitis in Children.

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis is currently a clinical diagnosis without widely accepted diagnostic criteria, often leading to a delay in diagnosis. The utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) in this disease is unknown. The objective of this study was to identify disease-specific patterns of neurodiagnostic studies (MRI and EEG) for autoimmune encephalitis in children.

Structure of neuroscience clerkships in medical schools and matching in neuromedicine.

Objective: Due to the burden of neurologic disease, there is high demand for neurologists, child neurologists, and neurosurgeons. Only 2.6% of graduating medical students matched in neuromedicine residencies in 2014.

Education research: case logs in the assessment of medical students in the neurology outpatient clinic.

Objective: Using outpatient neurology clinic case logs completed by medical students on neurology clerkships, we examined the impact of outpatient clinical encounter volume per student on outcomes of knowledge assessed by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Clinical Neurology Subject Examination and clinical skills assessed by the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

Methods: Data from 394 medical students from July 2008 to June 2012, representing 9,791 patient encounters, were analyzed retrospectively. Pearson correlations were calculated examining the relationship between numbers of cases logged per student and performance on the NBME examination.