What happens during a seizure lets doctors know about what parts of the brain are involved. To make a correct diagnosis, your child's paediatrician or paediatric neurologist will need a detailed description of your child's seizures, medical history, development, learning and behaviour.Ī video recording of your child's seizures is very helpful if seizures happen often or are predictable. Most children who have only one seizure are not diagnosed with epilepsy. Clusters of spasms often occur after waking from sleep. Spasms typically repeat every few seconds in what is called a cluster, and the infant usually appears to recover or relax between each spasm. These often begin between three and six months of age, and appear as brief stiffening movements lasting one to two seconds each. Infantile spasms are a special type of seizure with both focal and generalised features. Sometimes, focal onset seizures can spread to the other side of the brain, and become 'secondarily generalised', which looks like a tonic-clonic seizure.

tonic seizures – generalised muscle stiffening, lasting one to 10 seconds, which can cause your child to fall to the ground.

atonic seizures – a sudden loss of muscle tone, which may only involve the head dropping forward, but could cause sudden collapse and falling.

myoclonic seizures – sudden and brief muscle twitches that may involve the whole body or just individual limbs or muscle groups (e.g.

absence seizures – your child will stop what they are doing and lose awareness for five to 30 seconds, usually with a blank stare (falling and jerking do not happen).

tonic-clonic seizures – a sudden loss of awareness, with the child commonly falling to the ground, and with stiffening (tonic) then jerking (clonic) of the muscles.

There are different types of generalised onset seizures, including: The child's awareness and movements are always affected. Generalised onset seizures happen when the seizure activity begins on both sides of the brain at once. There are many different types of seizures, but generally they can be classified into two main groups: focal onset seizures and generalised onset seizures.įocal onset seizures happen when the seizure activity begins on one side of the brain. In a focal onset seizure, your child may just stare into space and be unresponsive. If there is convulsing, it may only affect one side of the body.įocal onset seizures with reduced awareness may be referred to by doctors as complex partial or focal dyscognitive seizures. Of a brain malformation or benign (non-cancerous) tumour, which may be present from birth. Sometimes children develop epilepsy after a severe head injury, stroke or brain infection. Epilepsy sometimes runs in families, which indicates that genetics play a part. (paediatrician) with expertise in epilepsy or by a doctor who specialises in childhood disorders of the brain (paediatric neurologist).įor most children with epilepsy, the cause is unknown. It is important that your child's epilepsy is correctly diagnosed and treated by a children's doctor Your child may be referred to a specialist. The first time your child has a seizure, call an ambulance immediately. Abnormal behaviour – confused or automatic movements, such as picking at clothing, chewing and swallowing or appearing afraid.Abnormal movements – limp, stiff or jerking movements or postures, which may occur with loss of consciousness and shallow or noisy breathing.Sensory disturbances – tingling numbness changes to what they see, hear or smell or unusual feelings that may be hard for your child to describe.If your child has epilepsy, they may have: The symptoms of epileptic seizures can vary a great deal, and depend on what parts of the brain are affected.

Children with epilepsyĬan usually lead a normal and active life, but they need to take care with certain activities, such as swimming. However, a person is at risk of being harmed if they are in a dangerous environment when a seizure occurs, for instance if they are in a swimming pool, driving a car or climbing a ladder. See our fact sheetĮpileptic seizures are not usually dangerous. Less than five per cent of children who have febrile convulsions go on to develop epilepsy. A once-off seizure, febrile convulsions and seizures during acute illnesses are not consideredĮpilepsy. One in 20 children will have at least one seizure during their childhood – often a febrile convulsion, which is a seizure associated with a high temperature. stare into space, not respond when spoken to). During seizures, there is abnormal excessive electrical activity in the brain, and this causes the person toĬonvulse (their muscles jerk), fall, or behave strangely (e.g.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that leads to a person having repeated seizures (previously called fits).

Types of seizures and durations