Seizure Disorder - 1. What is a Seizure

1. What is a Seizure

  • What is a Seizure?

    A seizure is a sudden, brief disturbance of the electrical impulses in the brain.

    Seizures can have a wide range of symptoms. In general, a seizure will affect consciousness, movement, sensation and behaviours.

    Epilepsy (also known as seizure disorder) is a common medical condition characterized by the tendency to have recurrent and unprovoked seizures.
    A person with epilepsy may experience more than one type of seizure.

  • What Causes People to Have Epilepsy?

    About 70% of the time the cause is unknown.

    The other 30% have a known cause such as a brain injury, stroke, infections, tumors or abnormal brain development.

  • Types of Seizures

    The type of seizure a person has depends on the area of the brain affected. There are many different types of seizures.

    They are divided into two main categories:

    • Generalized Seizures
    • Focal (Partial) Seizures

  • Generalized Seizures

    Generalized seizures affect the whole brain. They may or may not involve convulsions.

    The two most common generalized seizures are:

    (Click below for more information)

    Absence: The Most Common Type of Seizure

    Absence: The Most Common Type of Seizure

    Characteristics

    • Brief loss of awareness
    • Blank stare or pause
    • Eye fluttering, eye rolling

    Seizures usually last 30 seconds or less.

    Afterwards the student quickly resumes activity and has no recollection of seizure.

    Tonic Clonic

    Tonic Clonic

    Characteristics

    • Loss of consciousness
    • Falling
    • Stiffening and jerking of the body
    • Shallow breathing
    • Pale or bluish skin

    Seizures usually last less than 3 minutes.

    Afterwards the student is confused, tired and has no recollection of seizure.

    Some students MAY experience an aura or warning prior to a seizure, others do not. Auras are unique to each child.

  • Focal (Partial) Seizures

    Focal (partial) seizures affect part of the brain. The symptoms depend on the area of the brain that is affected. Focal seizures can spread to the whole brain and become generalized seizures.

    They do not involve convulsions.

    The two most common focal seizures are:

    (Click below for more information)

    Focal Aware (simple partial)

    Focal Aware (simple partial)

    Characteristics

    • No loss in consciousness
    • Strange or unusual sensations (i.e. smells, sounds or visual disturbances)
    • Restless movement

    Seizures usually last less than 2 minutes.

    Afterwards the student can usually remember what happened during the seizure.

    Focal Impaired Awareness (Complex partial)

    Focal Impaired Awareness (Complex partial)

    Characteristics:

    • Impaired consciousness
    • Repetitive involuntary actions
    • Clumsy/disoriented movements

    Seizures usually last less than 3 minutes.

    Afterwards the student is confused, tired and has no recollection of seizure

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