ABSENCE SEIZURE

Course overview

ABSENCE SEIZURES ARE BRIEF SEIZURES DURING WHICH THE PATIENT IS UNRESPONSIVE. THEY ARE GENERALLY SEEN IN CHILDREN BETWEEN 4 AND 12 YEARS OF AGE. ABSENCE SEIZURES OCCUR IN MULTIPLE GENETIC GENERALIZED EPILEPSIES, INCLUDING CHILDHOOD ABSENCE EPILEPSY (CAE), JUVENILE ABSENCE EPILEPSY (JAE), AND JUVENILE MYOCLONIC EPILEPSY (JME.) ATYPICAL ABSENCE SEIZURES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN UP TO 60% OF PATIENTS WITH LENNOX-GASTAUT SYNDROME. THE CONDITION HAS A CLASSIC EEG FINDING OF A 3 HZ SPIKE AND WAVE DISCHARGES. ABSENCE EPILEPSY IS AN ELECTROCLINICAL DIAGNOSIS (CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND EEG FINDINGS). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF ABSENCE SEIZURES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF ABSENCE SEIZURES/STARING SPELLS.