What are silent seizures and are they serious?

Absence seizures, or petit mal seizures, are brief, usually less than 15 seconds, and they have symptoms that may be barely noticeable. However, loss of consciousness, even for such a short time, can make absence seizures dangerous.

How bad are silent seizures?

Absence seizures are generally not harmful, and many children outgrow them by puberty. However, about 10% of children may develop other seizure types later in life. It’s important to talk to your child’s doctor right away if you are concerned they are experiencing any type of seizure.

What can mimic an absence seizure?

Staring. Staring and daydreaming are sometimes confused for an absence seizure. A child may appear to be staring off into space and at first doesn’t respond to his name. Probably that child is simply concentrating or thinking about another place or time.

Is zoning out a seizure?

An absence seizure causes a short period of “blanking out” or staring into space. Like other kinds of seizures, they are caused by brief abnormal electrical activity in a person’s brain. An absence seizure is a generalized onset seizure, which means it begins in both sides of the brain at the same time.

How do I know if I’m having an absence seizure?

The easiest way to spot an absence seizure is to look for a blank stare that lasts for a few seconds. People in the midst of having an absence seizure don’t speak, listen, or appear to understand. An absence seizure doesn’t typically cause you to fall down.

How long do silent seizures last?

Doctors often don’t know why this happens. Most absence seizures are less than 15 seconds long. It’s rare for an absence seizure to last longer than 15 seconds. They can happen suddenly without any warning signs.

Are you aware when you have an absence seizure?

When people have absence seizures, they are not aware of what is happening around them. For example, they will not notice if someone tries to speak to them during a seizure. If a person is speaking when their seizure begins, they will stop talking, often in the middle of a sentence.

What is the treatment for silent seizures?

Silent seizures are typically controlled with oral anti-seizure medication such as ethosuximide, valproic acid or lamotrigine.

What would cause a seizure?

Injuries and diseases are the most common causes of seizures. Drug use, birth defects, and genetic conditions may also cause seizures. In adults, however, the causes of seizures are often unidentifiable.

What is the best medication for absence seizures?

Drugs prescribed for absence seizure include: Ethosuximide (Zarontin). This is the drug most doctors start with for absence seizures. In most cases, seizures respond well to this drug.

What are the symptoms of a mini seizure?

Contractions occur only on one side of the body, the part that is affected. Eye and head movements which are not usual. Feeling tingly or developing a feeling of something crawling through your skin. Numbness. Abdominal pain is also a symptom of a mini seizure. Increase in pulse and rapid heartbeat rate.