Our children’s neuroscience service at Evelina London Children’s Hospital is one of the largest in Europe and recognised as one of the world’s leading centres for children’s care.
We treat children with a range of conditions including epilepsy, neuro-disability, sleep, neuromuscular, neuroinflammatory and movement disorders.
We are a centre of excellence for complex motor disorders, combining research, clinical expertise and leadership to offer life changing care for children. Our innovative deep brain stimulation (DBS) programme is one of the largest and most established globally. DBS is proven to have a significant impact on quality of life by reducing dystonic pain and improving everyday function, including those with dyskinetic cerebral palsy and other severe dystonias.
In 2019, Evelina London performed DBS on a 2-year-old girl with severe dystonia, then the youngest child in the world to receive DBS, demonstrating our unique expertise in operating safely on very young patients.
How does deep brain stimulation work?
DBS uses tiny electrodes and a pacemaker-like device to correct abnormal brain signals causing severe movement problems. It is used for complex dystonia and movement disorders when medicines and other treatments haven’t been successful.
DBS can reduce painful muscle contractions, improve movement control, and make everyday activities easier. After surgery, the device is adjusted over time, helping the child grow, develop, and take part more fully in daily life.
DBS is a lifelong treatment requiring ongoing stimulation and commitment as children receiving a DBS implant will have this implant throughout their life.
Unfortunately, not all children with movement disorders can benefit from DBS. Our expert clinicians will assess children with all forms of dystonia, (including dyskinetic cerebral palsy), complex movement disorders, neurogenetic and metabolic movement disorders (eg. GA1 and other rare conditions) to offer the best intervention and treatment.
To date we have assessed approaching 1,000 children, combining cutting edge research with a drive to improve clinical care. It’s a privilege to be able to offer deep brain stimulation to children and young people from across the world.
– Dr Daniel Lumsden, consultant paediatric neurologist
Pioneering use of next-generation devices and outcomes
DBS effectiveness in children shows:
- major reductions in dystonia severity (often 50–70% in genetic dystonia)
- pain improvement in ~90% of affected children
- quality of life and functional gains demonstrated across multiple studies.
Robot-assisted stereotactic techniques and intraoperative imaging are used to optimise targeting accuracy in children, supporting safe implantation and better outcomes.
In 2024, Evelina London surgeons implanted one of the world’s first rechargeable, “sensing” DBS systems in a 14-yearold with cerebral palsy–related dystonia, enabling real-time brain data to guide personalised therapy.
The new deep brain stimulator allows clinicians to track patient’s brain rhythms and to tailor electrical impulses to improve patients’ movements. In previously implanted devices, the battery would need to be replaced after 4 to 5 years, with further surgery required. The new rechargeable device has unlimited lifespan due to new battery technology.
International leadership
Evelina London consultants are at the forefront of international research, contributing to major multi-centre studies and guideline shaping publications on paediatric DBS safety, complications and outcomes positioning us as a global centre of excellence.
With a highly successful clinical and research portfolio, our consultants lead and contribute to numerous national, European and international multicentre studies to advance care in this field.
Dr Daniel Lumsden, consultant paediatric neurologist and Clinical Lead for the complex motor disorders service, is recognised as an international expert in childhood dystonia.
“It is a privilege to be in the position to offer deep brain stimulation to children and young people in the UK and beyond. To date we have assessed approaching 1,000 children, combining cutting edge research with a drive to improve clinical care. The goals of children and their families remain at the centre of our pathway, focusing on a better future through improved motor control,” says Dr Lumsden.
Multidisciplinary expertise to support complex care
Children with conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord and nervous system can require complex care and specialist expertise from other medical areas.
Our neuroscience service is fully integrated with our comprehensive range of children’s services at Evelina London to ensure we can provide end-to-end support offering full assessment, surgery, and long-term optimisation of stimulation.
Our dedicated specialist MDT includes:
- consultants in children’s neurology, neuro-disability, neuromuscular disorders and neuropsychiatry
- occupational therapists
- physiotherapists
- specialist nurses
- speech and language therapists.
Personal service – supporting international patients
Our aim is to make our patients at Evelina London as comfortable as possible and offer a fully personalised service to support families at every stage of treatment.
We understand the importance of good communication, and our dedicated international team work closely with embassies, referring clinicians and families to provide ongoing guidance and support to coordinate all aspects of the child’s treatment plan.
Our ability to provide high quality care means we can manage the most complex patients, all in one place.
- Contact us to find out more about our specialist services.
T: +44 (0)20 3131 5539
E: gstt.privatepatientenquiries@nhs.net
www.guysandstthomasspecialistcare.co.uk
