Despite genetics being well-established as a fundamental driver of childhood epilepsy, the landscape is rapidly shifting. The past few years have witnessed remarkable progress—not only in gene discovery, but in how these findings are being translated into daily clinical practice, transforming diagnosis, therapy, and care pathways for children and their families.
This Research Topic seeks to spotlight what’s new and changing in pediatric epilepsy genetics, with a special emphasis on advances that break new ground in access, equity, and real-world management. We aim to move beyond foundational genetic discoveries to showcase innovative approaches that are redefining standards of care and offering hope for meaningful, personalized interventions.
We encourage submissions that challenge current paradigms, describe implementation of precision genomics in diverse healthcare settings, or detail emerging therapies and models of care that are already impacting patient outcomes. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Novel strategies for integrating genetic findings into personalized treatment and care pathways, including the use of multi-omic data and AI-driven clinical tools
• Recent breakthroughs in genetic testing accessibility: telemedicine, rapid sequencing, and programs expanding equitable care across diverse populations
• Real-world evidence of genotype-guided therapies, including the challenges of implementation and health system adaptation
• Progress in gene-based and molecularly targeted therapies, covering both clinical trial results and regulatory/ethical milestones
• Impactful interdisciplinary practices combining neurology, genomics, psychology, nursing, and advocacy to optimize care delivery
• Contemporary approaches to genetic counseling and family support, focusing on psychosocial, ethical, and cultural dimensions in the era of precision medicine
• Perspectives, commentaries, or policy analyses on how the genetics of epilepsy is reshaping healthcare delivery and patient trajectories
We invite original research, clinical implementation studies, reviews, and perspectives that illustrate how pediatric epilepsy genetics is actively evolving—from bench to bedside and beyond. The goal is to capture and disseminate innovations that will define the next wave of epilepsy care.
Keywords: Precision Medicine, pediatric epilepsy genetics, genetic testing accessibility, genotype-guided therapy, personalized care pathways
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
