Genetic epilepsy clinic
The Genetic epilepsy clinic helps children who suffer from epilepsies caused by genetic mutations.
Common genetic mutations include those associated with:
- SCN1A gene (Dravet syndrome, GEFS+): Dravet syndrome is a rare form of epilepsy that begins from infancy, often starting with febrile seizures during fevers, evolving to other seizure types as the child gets older.
- Potassium channel disorders (KCNQ2): This type of inherited epilepsy usually starts with seizures in the infant’s first days of life. In some potassium channel disorders, the seizures can stop in infancy; while others, can have seizures lasting later in life.
- PCDH19: This disorder resembles Dravet syndrome because the same type of seizures may occur. However, this syndrome is caused by a different gene mutation and only affects females.
Our clinic
This clinic is staffed by pediatric epileptologist M. Scott Perry, M.D., and a metabolic geneticist, Alice Basinger, M.D. Our team can review the child’s history, establish a diagnosis, recommend additional evaluation, implement treatments and provide genetic counseling.
Cook Children's Genetic Epilepsy Clinic is recognized as one of 18 "Medical Centers of Expertise" by Dravet.org, an organization dedicated to the cure and treatment of Dravet Syndrome.
Meet our team
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M. Scott Perry, M.D.
Medical Director, Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Clinic
I joined the Neuroscience Program of Cook Children's in 2009 as a pediatric epileptologist, and now serve as the Medical Director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex clinic. My clinical and research interests focus on the treatment of childhood onset epilepsy, specifically those patients with uncontrolled epilepsy or those for which the cause has not been determined. I have an intense interest in the use of surgical therapies to treat and cure epilepsy. View physician biography. |
