Department of Clinical Neurophysiology
CHI at Temple Street
Temple Street
Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 878 4241
COVID-19 Questionnaires are to be completed 2 days prior to your appointment and emailed to the department with your child’s appointment time to .
The COVID-19 questionnaire can be found below in the useful links section
Location in hospital
The Neurology/Neurophysiology departments relocated in 2018 and are now located on the 3rd floor of “The King Unit” outpatients building. Attending patients should report to reception on the 3rd floor at the time of their appointment.
What is Clinical Neurophysiology?
Clinical Neurophysiology is the measurement of small electrical signals from the brain or limbs of a patient. The measurement of these small electrical signals helps in the diagnosis and management of children with neurological illness.
Names of current team members
Louise Scott, Senior Neuro-Physiologist ; Aoife Lavin, Senior Neuro-Physiologist ; Odette O’ Flaherty, Chief Neuro-Physiologist ; Karen Collins, Senior Neuro-Physiologist ; Emily Conroy, Chief Neuro-Physiologist
Services provided
Video EEG (electroencephalography): is a painless test which looks at brain function by recording the electrical activity from the brain. During the test patients may be asked to look at flashing lights and undertake a deep breathing exercise if required. This type of EEG is performed in an inpatient and outpatient setting. There are several types of video EEG depending on the nature of events the patient is having;
Routine Video EEG – performed only when awake. Duration is less than one hour.
Sleep Deprived Video EEG - depending on the age of the patient they will be required to remain awake for part if not most of the night previous to the EEG being carried out. As a natural sleep is required the test may take up to two hours to complete as an out-patient.
Video Telemetry (long term monitoring) – the EEG is performed in an inpatient setting over a period of days to quantify and classify patient events.
Ambulatory – a portable EEG system for patients meeting specific criteria is attached in the hospital. The patient may then travel home overnight returning the next morning to have the system removed and the data analysed
How to access the Neurophysiology department
- The Neurophysiology department is a tertiary referral centre accepting referrals from hospitals and GP services via a consultant only. The referrals are vetted by the chief Neuro-Physiologist and assigned an appointment based on priority.
- Referrals should contain a detailed clinical description of events and the patient’s level of cooperation.
- Referral forms are available from the department directly.
What to expect at your outpatient appointment
- Every effort is made to keep to the appointment time allocated. Please ensure you are on time for your appointment otherwise we may not be able to accommodate the patient.
- The duration of your appointment will vary depending on the type of test requested and may take up to 2 hours.
Before your appointment
It is very important to read all the instructions sent to you in the post with your child’s appointment. This specifies the type of test being carried out and includes specific instructions outlining exactly what you need to do the night before you attend your appointment. There is a detailed and important section on hair hygiene that must be adhered to.
Guidelines on Sleep Depriving Your Child
If your child is under two years of age it is advisable he/she is put to bed a little later than usual and woken earlier on the day of their appointment in order to achieve up to 40 minutes of sleep during the EEG test. If your child takes day time naps, it is advised that their nap is timed for during the EEG test.
Children over two years of age may need to be kept awake longer the night before and woken several hours earlier on the day of the test in order to achieve the same result. They should always be awake a minimum of 6 hours prior to their appointment time.
For older children and adolescents it is advisable to give, at most, four hours of sleep.
If your child is a poor sleeper or very anxious, it may be necessary to reduce sleep further than the above guidelines or keep them up the whole night.
Very Important Note:
Sleep Deprivation can increase the risk of having a seizure.
If your child has been sleep deprived prior to the EEG test it is necessary to closely monitor him/her over the following one to two nights as they are particularly vulnerable and at significantly more risk of potentially stronger and/or more prolonged seizures.
How to cancel your appointment
Please inform the department as soon as possible if your child cannot attend their appointment by calling (01) 8784426.
Useful links and resources
Do you offer work shadowing or clinical placement?
Dublin Institute of Technology is currently the only third level institution offering a BSc in Clinical Measurement Science. Third and fourth year students are placed in clinical measurement departments throughout Ireland to gain clinical skills before graduating.
Managers Contact:
Odette O’Flaherty / Emily Conroy
Chief Neuro-Physiologist
Neurophysiology Department
CHI at Temple Street
Temple Street
Dublin 1
Telephone: (01) 8784241
