Absence seizures in children - What are the symptoms?

In this section

If your child has an absence seizure

It can be hard to tell if your child has absence seizures because the symptoms aren't always clear.

If you think your child has absence seizures, there are some signs you should look for. Your child might:[1] [2] [3] [4]

Appear to 'blank out' or 'shut off' for a few seconds
Stare into space
Stop talking in the middle of a sentence
Suddenly stop what they're doing: for example, if they're walking they might all of a sudden stand still
Flutter their eyelids, fidget with their hands or walk around aimlessly.

Children lose consciousness when they have an absence seizure, even if their eyes are open. They don't hear, see or remember anything that happens. And they usually won't know they've had a seizure.

Some people who have epilepsy get a warning sign before a seizure. For example, they might get a strange feeling or notice a strange smell. But if your child gets absence seizures, they have no warning.

It can be hard to diagnose epilepsy. If your child has a seizure that may be due to epilepsy, your doctor should arrange for them to see a specialist. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the government body that decides which treatments should be available on the NHS, says that anyone who has had a seizure that might be due to epilepsy should be seen by a specialist within two weeks.[5]

Before making a diagnosis, your child's doctor will ask lots of questions about your child and the symptoms they've been getting. They will also do some tests.

An EEG is a test that can show whether a child has absence seizures. Your doctor can probably tell whether your child has absence seizures by doing an electroencephalogram (EEG). This test measures the electrical activity in the nerve cells of your child's brain. During an EEG:[1] [2] [4]

Sticky pads will be placed around their head
Wires from the pads will carry information about your child's brain activity to a computer
The doctor might ask your child to breathe very fast (hyperventilate) because this usually sets off an absence seizure, which can then be seen in the clinic.

If your child has an absence seizure

There are several things you can do if your child has an absence seizure.[6]

Stay calm. Don't shake your child. Don't shout at them or try to get them to "snap out of it".

Stay with your child until they come out of the seizure.

Call an ambulance if you think:

The seizure lasts more than five minutes
Your child has had two or more seizures in a row without coming round
It's the first time your child has had an absence seizure.

Take your child to the accident and emergency department if they:

Have a different type of seizure for the first time (for example, your child falls to the ground or their limbs twitch and jerk)
Are hurt and need medical treatment.

References

Arzimanoglou A, Guerrini R, Aicardi J. Epilepsies with typical absence seizures. In: Aicardi's epilepsy in children (3rd edition). Philadelphia: Lippincott, 2003.
Michelucchi R, Tassinari CA. Childhood absence epilepsy. In: Wallace S (editor). Epilepsy in children. Arnold, London, UK; 2004.
Panayiotopoulos CP. Typical absence seizures and their treatment in children. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 1999; 81: 351-355.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus: medical encyclopedia: petit mal seizure. August 2006. Available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000696.htm (accessed on 8 January 2008).
National Institute for Clinical Excellence. The epilepsies: the diagnosis and management of the epilepsies in adults and children in primary and secondary care. October 2004. Clinical guideline 20. Available at http://www.nice.org.uk/cg20 (accessed on 8 January 2008).
Epilepsy Action. Epilepsy information: first aid for seizures. December 2006. Available at http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/firstaid.html (accessed on 8 January 2008).

This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.