How to Diagnose Frontal Lobe Seizure

Frontal lobe seizures are quite common. These types of seizures may be caused by tumors, vascular malformations, encephalitis, or head traumas. Diagnosis of frontal lobe seizures may be hard to diagnose without brain scans, Electroencephalogram (EEG), and Video EEG tests, but there are signs and symptoms to look for. The following information was provided from The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research and DepressionGuide.com.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask parents if there is a family history of frontal lobe seizures. This may be an inherited gene, although most origins are unknown.

• 2

  Have a family members observe your behaviors. Look for symptoms of a seizure episode such as the head or eyes turning to one side, stiff arms that extend upward, cyclic movements of legs and arms, weakness, unresponsiveness, difficulty speaking, and unprovoked spouts of crying, laughter or screaming. Not all people suffering from frontal lobe seizures display the same symptoms before or during a seizure, and initially it may be hard to diagnose these types of seizures because they may appear to be psychiatric or sleeping disorders.

• 3

  Record the time of day, duration of seizure symptoms, if they happen during sleep, if they are mostly motor symptoms, if they happen in clusters, or if they have a short duration, usually less than a minute. These distinguish frontal lobe seizures from other issues. If someone is around, they can help you record this information more accurately. Make sure you share this information with the doctor.

• 4

  Avoid drinking alcohol and get plenty of sleep to see if the seizures decrease or stop altogether. Alcohol and lack of sleep are triggers for frontal lobe seizures, so increased or decreased activity surrounding these two contributing factors may aid in determining whether the person is suffering from frontal lobe seizures or some other condition.

• 5

  Consult a medical professional to get an official diagnosis. They may conduct brain scans, Electroencephalogram (EEG), and Video EEG tests to get a diagnosis. They may prescribe medicine or surgery to help with the seizures.