Types of Seizures

Seizure Types

Seizures fall into two main categories depending on where the abnormal electrical discharges begin.

Generalized Seizures - Generalized seizures arise from all over the brain at one time.  Examples of this type of seizure include:

Tonic Clonic Seizures (grand mal)

Usually there is no warning
The person may make a loud noise and fall to the floor
The body stiffens and muscles begin to jerk rhythmically in arms and legs.
Breathing may be shallow and irregular, skin may look blue
Bowel/bladder control may be lost
Excessive saliva (drooling) may occur, and the tongue may be bitten
Loss of consciousness may last several minutes or even longer
Consciousness is regained slowly
A bad headache and/or sleepiness is often experienced after a seizure
The person may need to rest for a few minutes/hours

Absence seizures (petit mal)

Loss of consciousness is brief, 5-15 seconds
May look like daydreaming and be ignored
Usually associated with minor repetitive movements, such as eye blinking or lip movements
There may be 50-100 seizures a day.  Without treatment they may interfere with learning
Occurs almost always in children and is often outgrown

Partial seizures - Partial seizures begin in one part of the brain.  The signs and symptoms of the seizure depend on which part of the brain is involved.  Simple and complex seizures are the main types of partial seizures.  If a partial seizure spreads from a small part of the brain to involve both sides of the brain, it is called a partial seizure that becomes secondarily generalized.

Simple partial seizures:

Consciousness is not impaired.  The person is left alert and able to remember what happened since consciousness is not impaired.
May consist of nothing more than a strange sensation (tingling feeling in part of the body) or a rhythmic jerking of one limb, part of the limb or the face.
Any of the senses may be affected
The seizure may last seconds or minutes and sometimes will precede a complex partial seizure or a secondarily generalized tonic clonic seizure

Complex partial seizures:

These are the most common type of partial seizures in both children and adults.
The seizures may start with strange sensations such as fear, nausea or tingling.
These are sometimes called "auras"
Consciousness is impaired and the person may looked dazed or confused
Behavior may be strange.  Repetitive movements are common, such.as picking at clothes, walking aimlessly or smacking of lips.
The vast majority last 1-5 minutes and may be followed by drowsiness.  If the seizure spreads into other brain regions, it may evolve to a generalized tonic-clonic seizure.

Seizure Types

Seizures fall into two main categories depending on where the abnormal electrical discharges begin.

Generalized Seizures - Generalized seizures arise from all over the brain at one time. Examples of this type of seizure include:


	Tonic Clonic Seizures (grand mal)

	Usually there is no warning The person may make a loud noise and fall to the floor The body stiffens and muscles begin to jerk rhythmically in arms and legs. Breathing may be shallow and irregular, skin may look blue Bowel/bladder control may be lost Excessive saliva (drooling) may occur, and the tongue may be bitten Loss of consciousness may last several minutes or even longer Consciousness is regained slowly A bad headache and/or sleepiness is often experienced after a seizure The person may need to rest for a few minutes/hours

	Absence seizures (petit mal)

	Loss of consciousness is brief, 5-15 seconds May look like daydreaming and be ignored Usually associated with minor repetitive movements, such as eye blinking or lip movements There may be 50-100 seizures a day. Without treatment they may interfere with learning Occurs almost always in children and is often outgrown

Partial seizures - Partial seizures begin in one part of the brain. The signs and symptoms of the seizure depend on which part of the brain is involved. Simple and complex seizures are the main types of partial seizures. If a partial seizure spreads from a small part of the brain to involve both sides of the brain, it is called a partial seizure that becomes secondarily generalized.


	Simple partial seizures:

	Consciousness is not impaired. The person is left alert and able to remember what happened since consciousness is not impaired. May consist of nothing more than a strange sensation (tingling feeling in part of the body) or a rhythmic jerking of one limb, part of the limb or the face. Any of the senses may be affected The seizure may last seconds or minutes and sometimes will precede a complex partial seizure or a secondarily generalized tonic clonic seizure

	Complex partial seizures:

	These are the most common type of partial seizures in both children and adults. The seizures may start with strange sensations such as fear, nausea or tingling. These are sometimes called "auras" Consciousness is impaired and the person may looked dazed or confused Behavior may be strange. Repetitive movements are common, such.as picking at clothes, walking aimlessly or smacking of lips. The vast majority last 1-5 minutes and may be followed by drowsiness. If the seizure spreads into other brain regions, it may evolve to a generalized tonic-clonic seizure.