Can anyone tell me roughly what happens during an EEG so I can explain to DD, please

[BriocheDoree]

She has an EEG tomorrow and she'll be much less panicky (arsey) if I can explain to her roughly what's going on!

Thanks.

"The doc will attach small silver discs (electrodes) to points on your child?s scalp using a soft paste. Sometimes, the doc will measure your child?s head beforehand and mark the points with a soft pencil. As each electrode is attached, he or she will clean the area of the scalp with a cotton bud and some cream. This does not hurt but some children do not like it. While all the electrodes are applied, your child can sit on a chair, the bed or your lap, and can play with toys. The electrodes are attached by wires to a ?headbox? and then to the recording machine. The doc will record your child?s brainwaves on to the recording machine connected to a computer and monitor them on a screen. At the same time the digital video recording of your child will be made. During the test, the doc may ask your child to lie or sit quietly if possible or continue to play. He or she may also ask your child to do some breathing exercise or be shown a flashing light during the test. Your child will be closely monitored throughout the test and these stimuli will be stopped at the first sign of a seizure"

Taken from the Great Ormond St stuff:

www.ich.ucl.ac.uk/gosh_families/information_sheets/electroencephalograms/electroencephalograms_famil ies.html

Brilliant, thanks, Amber!
If I can 'see' it I can draw it for her.

That's a good description.

The process of attaching the electrodes is the trying bit and can take almost as long as the actual recording. There are something like 24 electrodes. Sometimes they put a sort of net hat on top to keep the wires together and stop the electrodes coming off.

They will try to get the paste off afterwards but only do half a job so she may look a little like Einstein on the way home and will need a hair wash that night. When washing hair, the paste is harder to find when it's wet so you need to hunt each little bit down individually, it's easy to miss one.

Do you know what, I think I've had one of these! I just didn't know what it was! They stuck all the electrodes on, but I remember having a pink band wrapped round my head as well, then they asked me to watch some TV with it all on, just a square in the middle of the picture though.