Signs & Symptoms of a Absence Seizure

An absence seizure, also called a petit mal seizure, involves a sudden, short lapse in conscious activity. These seizures are most prevalent in children, and many children eventually outgrow the condition, according to the Mayo Clinic. Absence seizures usually can be controlled with medication. Children who have these seizures must be supervised when performing any potentially hazardous activity, such as swimming.

Primary Symptom

• An individual having an absence seizure abruptly stops talking, walking, eating or performing any other activity. He may appear to stare into space for a few seconds before continuing what he was doing before. He has no memory of the incident.

Distraction

• The seizures may occur many times per day, but because they are so brief and seem so mild, adults may not notice that anything significant is happening for a long time. They may assume the child is easily distracted and has problems paying attention. One sign of absence seizures is a decline in a child's learning ability and falling school grades.

Atypical Symptoms

• Most absence seizures do not involve unusual movements. A child with atypical absence seizures, however, does have other symptoms during the lapse in consciousness. These may include lip smacking, chewing motions and fluttering eyelids. The child also may make small hand or arm movements. Atypical absence seizures can last up to two or three minutes, unlike the typical absence seizures, which last only a few seconds.