Petit Mal Seizure

Absence seizures are brief, unexpected periods of losing awareness. They happen more often in children than adults.

During an absence seizure, a person might look blankly ahead for a few seconds, seemingly lost in thought. They usually snap back to alertness quickly. These seizures typically don't cause physical harm. However, there's a risk of harm if the person is doing something active, like driving a car or riding a bicycle, because they might lose control during the seizure.

Doctors often treat absence seizures with medication. Sometimes, children with absence seizures may also develop other types of seizures, like generalized tonic-clonic seizures (where the body stiffens and shakes) or myoclonic seizures (sudden muscle jerks). Many children eventually outgrow absence seizures as they get older, often by their teenage years.

Absence seizures are a type of brief seizure that can look like a person is just staring blankly, or having a short moment of inattention. These seizures usually last between 10 and 30 seconds. Importantly, there's no confusion, headache, or sleepiness afterward.

During an absence seizure, a person might:

• Stop what they're doing suddenly without falling down.
• Make small, repetitive movements: This could include lip smacking, eyelid fluttering, chewing motions, rubbing their fingers, or small movements with their hands.

Often, the person has no memory of the seizure afterward. However, if the seizure lasts longer than about 10 seconds, they might be aware that some time has passed. Some people have many of these seizures every day. This can impact their ability to focus on schoolwork or other activities.

Sometimes, absence seizures go unnoticed for a while, especially in children. This is because the seizures are so short. One of the first signs parents or teachers might notice is a decrease in a child's learning ability. Teachers might describe the child as having trouble paying attention, or as often daydreaming.

When to seek medical attention:

• If you're concerned your child might be having seizures: Talk to your child's doctor.
• If your child has epilepsy and develops new seizure types: This could signal a change in the condition and needs to be checked.
• If seizures continue to happen even while taking medicine for them: The medicine might not be working as expected and needs to be adjusted.

When to call emergency services (911 or local equivalent):

• If you see prolonged, automatic behaviors: These might include eating, moving, or other activities without the person being aware of what they're doing, and lasting for minutes or hours. This could also include a period of prolonged confusion. This is a serious situation called status epilepticus.
• If a seizure lasts longer than five minutes: This could be a sign of status epilepticus or a need for immediate medical attention.

It's crucial to remember that this information is for general knowledge only, and doesn't constitute medical advice. If you have concerns about seizures, please consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional.

If you're worried about your child's health, it's important to contact their doctor. This is especially true if:

• You think your child is having seizures. A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. If you notice unusual movements, jerking, or changes in awareness, it's best to talk to your pediatrician.
• Your child already has epilepsy and is experiencing new types of seizures. Epilepsy is a condition involving repeated seizures. If your child's seizures are changing in any way, you should talk to their doctor.
• Your child's seizures continue even though they're taking medicine. Medicines can help control seizures, but sometimes they don't work perfectly. If your child's seizures aren't responding to their current treatment, their doctor needs to know.

In some cases, a seizure can be a serious medical emergency. Here's when to call 911 or your local emergency services:

• If your child is having prolonged, unusual behaviors. This could include repetitive actions like eating or moving without understanding what they're doing, or prolonged confusion. This can be a sign of a serious condition called status epilepticus, which is a prolonged seizure. It's important to get immediate help for this.
• If a seizure lasts longer than five minutes. A seizure lasting this long is considered a medical emergency.

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Absence seizures are often linked to genetics.

Normally, your brain's nerve cells, called neurons, send electrical signals to each other. These signals travel across tiny gaps called synapses. Think of it like a network of tiny wires and connections.

In people with absence seizures, something disrupts this normal electrical activity. Instead of the usual, smooth flow of signals, there are repeated bursts of activity, happening about every three seconds. This pattern of repeated signals is what defines an absence seizure.

These seizures might also be related to problems with the brain's chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters help neurons communicate effectively. If the balance of these chemicals is off, it can affect how the neurons talk to each other, potentially leading to seizures.

Absence seizures, a type of seizure that can affect children, often share some common traits.

• Age: Most children who have absence seizures are between the ages of 4 and 14. This means that this type of seizure is more frequently seen in this age group.

• Gender: Girls are slightly more likely to experience absence seizures than boys.

• Family history: About one in four children with absence seizures have a family member who has had seizures. This suggests a possible genetic link, but other factors likely play a role as well. Having a family member with seizures doesn't guarantee a child will have them, but it does increase the chance.

Many children with absence seizures, a type of seizure that causes brief lapses in awareness, will eventually outgrow them. However, some children need to continue taking medication to control these seizures for the rest of their lives. In other cases, absence seizures can progress into more serious types of seizures, like full-body convulsions (also called generalized tonic-clonic seizures).

Beyond the seizures themselves, there are other potential problems that can arise:

• Learning difficulties: Children may experience challenges with schoolwork and academic performance. This could involve trouble with reading, writing, math, or other subjects.

• Behavioral issues: Changes in behavior, such as difficulty with focus, impulsivity, or mood swings, are possible. These can make daily life more challenging for both the child and their family.

• Social isolation: Seizures and associated problems can sometimes lead to social difficulties. Children might feel excluded from activities or have trouble making and maintaining friendships.

• Potential for injury: During a seizure, a child could fall or injure themselves, requiring medical attention.

In summary, while many children recover from absence seizures, some face ongoing challenges. These can include the need for lifelong medication, the progression of seizures, and related issues like learning problems, behavioral challenges, social isolation, and the risk of injury.

An EEG, or electroencephalogram, is a test that measures the electrical activity in your child's brain. Small, metal sensors called electrodes are placed on their scalp with a special paste or cap. The electrodes pick up the brain's electrical signals and send them to a machine that records them. Doctors use these recordings to look for changes that might indicate a problem, especially if your child has seizures or epilepsy.

If your child has seizures, their doctor will want a lot of information about them. They'll likely ask detailed questions about the seizures, like when they happen, how long they last, and what your child does during them. The doctor will also do a physical exam to check for other clues.

To help find out what might be causing the seizures, the doctor might order other tests, including brain scans. Brain scans, like MRI scans, create detailed pictures of the brain. These pictures can help rule out other possible problems, such as strokes or brain tumors. Because these scans require your child to stay very still for a while, your doctor may recommend medicine to help them relax and stay still, called sedation.

The EEG itself is a painless procedure. The electrodes don't hurt, and the machine just records the brain's electrical activity. During the EEG, it's important to be aware that sometimes things like fast breathing (hyperventilation) can sometimes trigger a type of seizure called an absence seizure. The EEG will show a different pattern of brain activity during a seizure compared to a typical brain activity pattern.