Here are FAQs and answers covering some of the more common questions.
How do I make an appointment?
Either use the feedback facility on this website or call Charlotte on 07581 046963
Do you do remote consultations?
Yes, these are done as Zoom consultations but we would advise that a face to face consultation will be needed quite early on so an examination of your child can be conducted.
Which hospitals do you practice at?
I have clinics at The Portland Hospital on Mondays and Thursdays, and The Cromwell Hospital on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I also do a remote clinic on Tuesdays. Our young adult clinic is at HCA Healthcare UK Canary Wharf on Wednesdays.
Do you have clinics at weekends?
No, as this is often when in-patients are being treated.
How much does a consultation cost?
This depends on whether you are self paying, or have health insurance so please call Charlotte on 07581 046963 to get details.
How long does it take to get results?
This varies depending on the test and where it is carried out, but on average an MRI result will come to me in 2-3 days, an EEG report in 7-10 days, simple blood test results in 2-10 days and EMG reports in 1-2 days. For complex blood or genetic tests this can vary and ranges from 4 weeks to several months. We will advise you of timings when investigations are suggested.
How long does it take to arrange tests?
The timings depend on what type of test and where it is being carried out.
If you have a face-to-face consultation, and blood tests are recommended, then this can be done after the consultation at the hospital.
All other tests such as MRIs, EEGs, EMGs and genetic tests need to be arranged with the relevant departments. We contact them to give the referral information, then you will be contacted directly by them to book the appointment.
What happens once I have a diagnosis for my child?
The next steps depend very much on your child’s diagnosis and will be based on my suggestions together with your choices and decisions, but there are a range of common scenarios which I’ve detailed below.
- If your child is diagnosed with something that can be treated with prescribed medications, I would prepare a prescription and treatment plan, as well as writing a letter confirming this. As a parent, you can either go back to your local GP to continue with this treatment, or you can continue to see me.
- If your child is diagnosed with something that needs input from a different type of specialist or specialism (such as physiotherapy), I would explain this to you and write a referral to them. This may involve additional consultations with me, or could mean that care is transferred.
- If your child’s diagnosis means they need care and input from many different specialists I would explain this during the consultation and put all findings into my clinic letter. Often, because this is referred to as a ‘multi-disciplinary approach’, there needs to be a lead clinician who acts as the co-ordinator across the specialisms and this is usually your local GP.
Even after diagnosis, I am always happy to see you and your child again, whether it is for ongoing care, semi-regular check-ups or for advice regarding suggested treatments or medications.
What should I do if we forget an epilepsy medication dose?
If it is a single dose that has been missed, and usually two doses are given each day, give the forgotten dose as soon as possible and give the next dose as normal.
If it is medication that is taken once a day, give the dose as soon as possible and then continue as normal the next day.
What should I do if my child is sick after taking epilepsy medication?
If your child has been ill less than 30 minutes after taking the medication, give them the same dose again.
If your child was ill more than 30 minutes after taking the medication, DO NOT repeat the dose, just continue with the next dose at the usual time