The Psychogenic Nonepileptic Events Clinic

The Psychogenic Nonepileptic Events (PNEE) Clinic at the Dell Children’s Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center is a multidisciplinary clinic that diagnoses, treats, and manages care of children with psychogenic nonepileptic events. Our highly specialized providers have the knowledge, skills, and technology needed to give patients and their families the best quality of life.

The Psychogenic Nonepileptic Events (PNEE) Clinic is the only multidisciplinary PNEE clinic in the state of Texas that provides comprehensive care from a neurologist, clinical psychologist, social worker, and nurse coordinator.

PNEE are episodes of abnormal movements or behavioral change that can look like seizures but are not caused by electrical seizure activity in the brain. PNEE are also sometimes referred to as functional seizures or psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. They have also been called pseudoseizures, but this term is no longer used.

The exact cause of PNEE is not known, but psychological problems like anxiety or stress or other medical conditions including epilepsy are risk factors for developing PNEE.

The multidisciplinary team in the Psychogenic Nonepileptic Events (PNEE) Clinic includes a board-certified and fellowship-trained neurologist, a social worker, a nurse coordinator, and a fellowship-trained clinical psychologist. Treatment involves focusing on patient-specific symptoms, addressing underlying risk factors, and coordinating with other members of the patient’s care team, including school nurses. Our ultimate goal is to help your child manage or eliminate their symptoms so they can return to school and other normal activities.

We ask that all new patients complete our online New Patient Intake Form at least 24 business hours before the appointment time to help optimize your child’s time with the care team. If you cannot access the online form, a hard copy version is also available to complete and turn in at the time of your child’s appointment.

For more information about the Psychogenic Nonepileptic Events (PNEE) Clinic, please call 1-512-628-1855. You can also fax referrals to 1-512-380-7544.

The collaboration between UT Health Austin and Dell Children's brings together medical professionals, medical school learners, and researchers who are all part of the integrated mission of transforming healthcare delivery and redesigning the academic health environment to better serve society. This collaboration allows highly specialized providers who are at the forefront of the latest research, diagnostic, and technological developments to build an integrated system of care that is a collaborative resource for clinicians and their patients.