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Epilepsy

Question

Can anyone recommend one of the Specialist Epilepsy Departments in UZ Leuven or UZ Gent, or in Saint-Luc or Erasmus?

Interested in getting a recommendation if possible? For a child, aged 7.

Thanks

shortof

Nearest

May 23, 2017 20:51
irishgirl1020

I'd recommend St Luc - my son is followed by Prof de Nassonge and she is really excellent. He's been going to her for the past 8 years, since he was 5. But be warned - it can take a while to get an appointment.

May 24, 2017 09:30
CC_R

If you have a doctor and a hospital like that suggested above ask your GP or paediatrician to refer you for a quicker access than ringing yourself

May 24, 2017 09:34
kasseistamper

I can recommend UZ Leuven - Gasthuisberg - though not specifically for Epilepsy.
My wife was a cancer patient there for 14 years. Everything was handled in English from the reception onwards despite the fact that we both have good Dutch and I was involved and with her at every stage of her treatment.

May 24, 2017 10:03
shortof

One of these hospitals will be nearest to home but there might be another one nearer even. Epilepsy is very common. All major hospitals will have neurologists specializing in epilepsy. I have a child with epilepsy who goes to one of the ones you've named but I would not recommend it any more than the nearest.

You should follow the advice of your GP, if you do not have a GP, you should have one. Get the referral from your GP direct to the hospital. Your GP will be better to advise you that anyone on here.

May 24, 2017 10:47
lisbeth.grisent...

Highly recommend St Luc.

May 24, 2017 21:41
CC_R

Shortof unless you've visited them all you can't know the care is equal one would expect it is, in an ideal world it would be, but personality can and does mean some doctors are much more suited to working with children than others.
As a paediatric nurse I can tell you finding the right specialist is crucial to maintaining good health in chronic long term illnesses like epilepsy, asthma or diabetes.
Visiting a good university hospital may mean that doctors are for example
More uptodate with current research.

May 25, 2017 17:10
shortof

How many of us parents of children have visited university hospitals mentioned 100km apart? Highly unlikely! I doubt any of us have knowledge of more than 2 of the hospitals and most likely just 1 of them. Given more English speakers use UZ Leuven and Cliniques St Luc than Erasme and UZ Gent, the chances are you will get more people recommending UZ Leuven and St Luc. However, that does not mean Erasme and UZ Gent do not have excellent neurologists.

My advice stands, go get a recommendation from your GP who will have contacts in the nearest hospitals with neurologists specializing in epilepsy.

May 25, 2017 17:21
CC_R

With respect shortof I think the questioner also wanted to understand if people had a positive experience at one hospital in particular as we all know we would drive any distance to get our children the best care

May 26, 2017 11:59
J

With respect CC_R, Shortof is spot on here. All 4 hospitals are excellent, and have world class medical staff. Your local junior neurologist is far better qualified to tell the OP where their child needs to be referred to.

If you have a choice to make, it's if you're on the east side of Brussels - St Luc is better for French speaking and metro access. UZ Leuven is better for English, and if you have to drive.

May 28, 2017 00:28