Petit Mal Seizure

Family members who have seizures.

Petit mal seizure. Absence seizures sometimes called petit mal seizures can cause rapid blinking or a few seconds of staring into space. Absence seizures are one of several kinds of generalized seizures these seizures are sometimes referred to as petit mal seizures from the french for little illness a term dating from the late 18th century. Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurrent seizures if it is not treated. Have muscle jerks or spasms.

Absence seizures are more common in girls. Absence seizures are characterized by a brief loss and return of consciousness generally not followed by a period of lethargy i e. While most children outgrow absence seizures some. Tonic clonic seizures also called grand mal seizures can make a person cry out.

Nearly half of children with absence seizures have a close relative who has seizures. They begin and end abruptly lasting only a few seconds. They are a type of generalized onset seizures meaning they begin in both sides of the brain at the same time. Absence seizures cause lapses in awareness sometimes with staring.

An absence seizure causes you to blank out or stare into space for a few seconds. Absence seizures are most common in children and typically don t cause any long term problems. Absence seizures or petit mal seizures are brief and many not have noticeable symptoms. Side effects may include rash and nausea.

Absence epilepsy can begin at any time during childhood. Doctors may recommend the use of valproic acid in children who have both absence and grand mal tonic clonic seizures. Some studies show this drug to be less effective than ethosuximide or valproic acid but it has fewer side effects. Without a notable postictal state.

What is an absence seizure. Epilepsy is a nervous system disorder that causes seizures. Most often it starts between the ages of 4 and 15 years. These types of seizures are often set off by a period of hyperventilation.

Affecting about two of every 1 000 people absence seizures formerly called petit mal seizures are caused by abnormal and intense electrical activity in the brain. An older term is petit mal seizures. Absence seizures are more common in children between the ages of 4 and 14. A child with repeated absence seizures is said to have childhood absence epilepsy or petit mal epilepsy.

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