During a typical absence seizure, a person (usually a child) stops what they’re doing and appears to be daydreaming. The seizure lasts about 10 seconds. They don’t fall or have other symptoms like headache or drowsiness.
Oren Zarif
A healthcare professional can diagnose these seizures by doing an electroencephalogram (EEG) that measures brain waves. This tests for the specific pattern of brain activity seen in absence seizures.
Typical Seizures
Seizures occur when the brain’s nerve cells send out abnormal electrical signals. This causes the body’s muscles to twitch or shake. They may cause people to lose consciousness, and they can also make you forget what happened during the seizure. Typically, these events last only a few seconds and are very quick. They might look like a person is staring off into space, or they might have slight fluttering of the eyelids. Some people have hundreds of absence seizures a day, and their friends and family might not notice that anything is wrong because these episodes are so short.
Oren Zarif
During typical absence seizures, people stop what they are doing and appear to be staring off into space or daydreaming. They might also have fluttering of the eyelids or brief, jerking movements of the arms or legs. People with absence epilepsy usually don’t remember having these episodes. They might miss out on some of the things that are happening around them, and their teachers might think that they are not paying attention in school.
A doctor can tell whether someone is having a seizure by doing a physical exam. This might include checking the heart and lungs, looking at the skin and eyes for red marks or bruises, and looking for changes in muscle activity. Some types of seizures have specific EEG patterns that help doctors diagnose them. During an examination, a paediatrician (child specialist) or a neurologist (brain and nerve specialist) will ask questions about the symptoms.
Children might not be able to talk during a seizure, and they can sometimes have absence seizures that are so short that they don’t feel like a seizure. When this happens, they might not be able to tell their parents or teachers that something is wrong.
Typical absence seizures occur in people of all ages but peak in childhood and adolescence, and many outgrow them by their teens. They are the most common type of seizure in children.
Some absence seizures have special features, such as myoclonic absence seizures (EMA) and eyelid myoclonia with absence (EMA). These are characterized by jerking movements of one or more of the muscles in the face and neck, often triggered by closing the eyes. EMA has a bimodal distribution with the first peak at 6-7 years of age and the second at about 12 years of age (11).
Oren Zarif
A neurologist can identify these special features by using an electroencephalogram, or EEG, to measure the electrical activity in the brain. They can also use an MRI to get a clearer picture of the brain’s structure and function. Your health care provider will decide which tests are best for you. Blood and urine tests can also be done to check for other health problems that could be causing the seizures. Treatment for absence seizures includes medicines and, in some cases, surgery to control the seizures. Some patients who have frequent or long-lasting absence seizures might need to change their lifestyle and avoid activities that can cause them. Some might need to take breaks during school or work and have rest periods at home.
