Absence seizures question

Does anyone's child experience these? My friend just found out that her son has them and the way she described it sounds like something I've noticed in my DD occasionally.

Just wondering if they need to be diagnosed, if they treat it or even need to be treated, and do kids outgrow them.

I hate to bring my DD for all these tests if it's something common and minor and will go away.

Re: Absence seizures question

They absolutely need to be diagnosed and treated! May be outgrown, may not. Make an appointment with your doctor ASAP if you really suspect this. My daughter was fast tracked for a neurology appt for this - its not something that can wait, it's fairly common, but not really minor. It's abnormal brain activity.

I can tell you that most times they are noticed by teachers and siblings.

Does your child space out and are you unable to get her attention with a physical stimulus like tapping her arm? If you can get her attention verbally, by yelling her name, it's not a seizure. And possibly have strange, unexplainable weird behaviors after spacing out? That's another symptom.

Message edited 8/14/2017 8:04:29 AM.

Re: Absence seizures question

Thank you for your response. It never lasts long enough that I try to get her attention. And then she goes right back to what she was doing. In fact, at first my husband and I just thought that maybe she was thinking. I will call the doc and make sure everything is checked out.

Re: Absence seizures question

If you suspect seizure absolutely see a neurologist

Tape them the next time it happens,video is great to show the doc

It's hard to diagnose on paper a seizure unless its happens
Hooked up on the monitor


Does she respond to you? Is she "spacing out"

Re: Absence seizures question

My DD (8) has a disorder that is known to cause seizures. For many years, she didn't have any recognizable ones that we knew of. When I asked the neurologist who specializes in her disorder about whether she could be having seizures that we were seeing, and whether or not we should give her preventative medicine, he said no...if they aren't interfering with any functioning (standing/sitting, breathing, etc) that the risks associated with the medications are greater than the risks of the seizures.
Last year, she did have a full-blown grand mal seizure, at which point he did start her on medication, because he said it interfered with functioning this time, so she needed medicine.
I definitely agree with PP to try to record some of the episodes, so the neurologist can see exactly what you're talking about. They can do all the EEGs they want, but if there is no episode happening at the time the EEG is running/recording, they'll never know what is going on.