Vagus nerve stimulation in children and young people

Vagus nerve stimulation has been a recognised therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy for many years both for the paediatric and adult cohort. The purpose of this article is to share knowledge from practice in the running of a vagus nerve stimulation clinic in a paediatric setting. It is to share research in the identification of patients, early implantation, benefits, risks and challenges of vagus nerve stimulation, both for epilepsy nurse specialists and patients. There are also some practical hints and tips for paediatric epilepsy nurse specialists vagus nerve stimulation programmers. This article will also give an oversight of vagus nerve stimulation therapy for epilepsy nurse specialists and clinicians who do not manage these patients but require an underpinning knowledge to ensure timely treatment options are used.