Emma Laurs-Macdonald is a Pediatric Neurologist based in Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
She works with babies, children and teens who are dealing with seizure disorders and related brain development conditions. For many families, getting a clear plan for epilepsy can feel like a big deal. Emma helps families sort through what is happening, what it could mean, and what the next steps look like in real, everyday terms.
Her work covers a range of seizure types, including absence seizures and generalised tonic-clonic seizures. She also sees children with harder-to-control epilepsy syndromes such as West syndrome, Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and some forms of myoclonic or myoclonic-atonic epilepsy. In many cases, this care also focuses on how seizures affect learning, sleep and day-to-day life.
Emma also looks after children with conditions linked to brain development and movement, for example cortical dysplasia, Rett syndrome, CDKL5 deficiency disorder, and alternating hemiplegia of childhood. At times, this can involve reviewing patterns of weakness or unusual movement, then working out how to support the child’s nervous system as treatments change over time.
Some referrals are for developmental and neurological symptoms that need careful attention, like spasmus nutans. And while her core focus is neurology, she may also be involved in broader checks when kids have other health issues, including nephrotic syndrome, where doctors want the whole picture understood.
Emma has specialist training as a paediatric neurologist and brings that knowledge into day-to-day clinic decisions. Over time, she builds a steady plan with families, and revisits it as the child grows, symptoms shift, and treatments are adjusted.
She keeps up with current research and newer treatment options where they fit, especially for complex epilepsy syndromes. The goal stays the same: help reduce seizures where possible, support development, and make sure families feel they have a clear path forward.