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Online paediatric EEG handbook: a survey on its usefulness

There is inadequate paediatric EEG training amongst doctors and technicians involved in the care of children with epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa (Kander, 2021). An entry level handbook was originally developed for healthcare practitioners in sub-Saharan Africa. It has subsequently been encompassed as a resource on the International Child Neurology Teaching Network (ICNTN) making it accessible across the world covering high to low-income countries. Aim: To investigate the usefulness of a paediatric online EEG handbook. Method: A survey of the ICNApedia online EEG handbook was circulated in December 2021, with recurrent eblasts, via the research electronic data capture (Redcap) from the University of Cape Town to all participants who registered for the handbook (n=100; n= 47 countries). Ethical approval from UCT, Cape Town, South Africa (481/2018). Results: By February 2022, 24% fully and 5% partially completed the survey. Responses were from 18 countries: n=6 high income, n=5 upper-middle income, n=6 lower-middle income and n=2 from low-income. Of the 29 participants, most (n=21) had successfully completed the handbook. Eight of the survey respondents had partially completed the handbook. Preliminary results supported that the handbook was a good steppingstone to learning EEGs, especially supporting the unique area of paediatrics. Further responses are still being recruited which will increase the strength of the survey. Conclusion: In resource limited settings non-specialist clinicians are often required to provide extended services including EEG interpretation. To date the survey supports that the handbook is supporting this niche skills area.
Keywords: EEG, Paediatric, Training, Handbook, Online