How to Diagnose Seizures

According to The Brain Injury Foundation, 10 percent of Americans may experience one seizure during their lifetime. Seizures do not have to be the result of a medical condition. A seizure can be triggered by stress or overexposure to television. Of those Americans who experience a seizure, only 1 percent of seizures will be the result of epilepsy. Knowing when seizures are going to occur is difficult to determine, but they can be recognized and diagnosed. There are four types of seizures common among Americans.

Instructions

Recognizing Seizures

• 1

  Grand mal seizures are more easily recognizable. A person who suffers a grand mal seizure experiences loss of consciousness while convulsing. The seizure may last a few seconds, followed by loss of bladder control and other bodily functions. These seizures are typically violent due to rhythmic contractions. When the individual emerges from the seizure he is usually confused and weak.

• 2

  Petite mal seizures are common among children. However, in rare cases adults may suffer from them as well. Petite mal seizures can often be confused with daydreaming or "zoning out." During a petite mal seizure the child may appear as if she's aware of her surroundings, but in actuality the child has no control over her current state.

• 3

  Atonic seizures are easily mistaken as fainting. When an individual experiences an atonic seizure, the person's muscles become limp as he loses consciousness. If an observer has no knowledge of this particular seizure type, she will assume that the person has passed out briefly. Atonic seizures are common in adolescents and may no longer occur as the person reaches adulthood.

• 4

  Myoclonic seizures are commonly associated with brain injury or brain tumors. The activity of a myoclonic seizure is similar to that of grand and petite mal seizures. Like with a grand mal seizure, a person may convulse, and as with a petite mal seizure, the individual will remain conscious. When the person convulses, the body limbs will make quick, jerky movements. Myoclonic seizures occur more frequently when an individual has not had sufficient sleep.