The Use of EEG in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatry and neurology, which are two of the basic medical fields that examine the brain and its functions, have never been two separate departments working completely independently of each other. Since they basically investigate the same organs and systems and work with diseases related to the same system, they are two disciplines that always work in cooperation and consultation.
Thanks to the developments in the medical world for many years, the mechanisms by which psychiatric diseases occur in the brain can be investigated, and this subject is among the most popular research topics as it is also enlightening for the treatment plan. In this way, the success of treatments for the problems identified by solving the mechanisms of many diseases has increased over the years, and even serious psychiatric diseases that used to be isolated from the society have become possible to treat.
There have been developments in neurological examination techniques over the years; methods that measure the electrical activity and functions of the brain have been added to the methods that visualize the structure of the brain. Thanks to these opportunities, the opportunity to obtain more detailed information about the brain and diseases has provided a source for satisfying treatments.
When a patient presents to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic with various complaints, a detailed history is first taken. This history allows us to obtain information about the period starting from the period when the child was in the womb, postnatal period, existing diseases and all diseases and accidents (head trauma etc.). In addition to the medical history, a detailed evaluation is made about all developmental stages of the child or adolescent (language development, fine and gross motor development, etc.). Family history is taken. It is recorded whether there is any genetic, psychiatric or neurological disease in the family. Neurological evaluations and EEG should be requested from patients for whom the physician recommends a detailed examination both in the information obtained (head trauma, etc.) and in the complaint (delay or regression in development, learning disorder, speech disorder, sleep attacks, some behaviors seen during sleep, behavioral disorders, strange movements, etc.).
EEG is the process of recording the electrical activity of the brain through conductive structures called electrodes. No electricity is applied to the patient during the procedure. There is no harmful effect. During this procedure, which does not cause any harm, missed and treatable neurological problems can be detected, as well as very important data on the reflections of psychiatric diseases in the brain are obtained thanks to the brain map prepared with special methods.
Before EEG is applied in children, a child adolescent psychiatrist or neurologist should make a request. After detailed examinations, a decision is made and the necessary treatment protocol is applied.
