What Are Absence Seizures?
Absence seizures are seizures with periods of altered consciousness,which may be noted only as a blank stare. They may occur in adults but are more common in children. They may be mistaken for daydreaming. Warning signs such as a strange feeling, unusual taste or odor, or headache may come before the seizure.
What Causes Absence Seizures?
A seizure is caused by abnormal signals in the brain. Head injuries, strokes, brain infections, or tumors can cause these seizures, but often the reason for them is unknown. What Are the Symptoms of Absence Seizures?
Symptoms in addition to those mentioned above include some fl uttering of eyelids and twitching of muscles in the face. Seizures usually last less than 10 seconds and stop by themselves. People are completely unaware of these seizures and continue with their previous activity.
How Are Absence Seizures Diagnosed?
The doctor uses observations from eyewitnesses and the medical history to diagnose absence seizures. Also, an MRI or CT scan of the brain can tell whether there is a physical cause, such as damage to the brain from congenital defects, stroke, or trauma. The doctor may also order a brain wave study called an electroencephalogram
(EEG). This safe and painless test records the brain’s electrical activity with electrodes placed on the scalp.
Superintendent, ICH.