First Seizure Clinic

First Seizure Clinic Referral

The First Seizure Clinic, located at LHSC's University Hospital, evaluates adult patients who have experienced their first unprovoked seizure. Even though most people who experience a first seizure will not experience a second, a comprehensive assessment is needed to determine if there may be a number of risk factors that could lead to a more serious medical condition such as epilepsy. The aim of this clinic is to see patients rapidly through an urgent referral system. This is to avoid delays in assessing and diagnosing people with epilepsy to start any necessary treatment.

The First Seizure Clinic is led by a senior neurology resident in collaboration with one of the epileptologists. During the clinic visit, the senior resident will ask questions to help determine a cause for the seizure and develop an appropriate and personalized plan of care. 

You can advise referred patients that a typical Fist Seizure Clinic visit consists of: 

  • Taking the patient's medical history
  • Conducting a physical and neurological examination
  • There is a potential for an electroencephalogram (EEG) and/or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the head to be ordered
  • A potential treatment option is anti-seizure medication therapy
Referral criteria

LHSC’s First Seizure Clinic accepts patients with first time unprovoked seizures who are not on anti-seizure medications.

The First Seizure Clinic does not accept patients:

  • Who are already started on anti-seizure medications
  • Who have a diagnosis of epilepsy
  • From outside catchment area*
  • Who are already followed by a neurologist 
  • Who have provoked seizures (those caused by alcohol withdrawal, drug misuse, metabolic or electrolyte abnormalities, etc.)

*Epilepsy referral pathways have been endorsed by the Epilepsy Implementation Task Force (EITF) and Provincial Neurosurgery Advisory Committee (PNAC) and can be found at https://epilepsysco.org under Resources, then Provincial Guidelines for Epilepsy Care in Ontario.

Referral Form

First Seizure Clinic Central Intake Fax number: 519-663-3204