ATONIC SEIZURE
(DROP SEIZURE)
What it sounds like:
AY-tah-nik SEE-zher
You're about to see what an atonic seizure looks like in real time. We'll walk you through the key things to remember after.
Get the seizure details
LENGTH
Atonic seizures last less than 15 seconds.1
HEAD DROP
The individual's neck muscles go limp, causing their head to suddenly drop or fall forward. Then, they immediately recover.1
MUSCLE
WEAKNESS
The rest of the individual's body also goes limp, like a rag doll. If they're sitting, their body may slump forward. If they're standing, they may fall over.1
AFTER THE
SEIZURE
(POSTICTAL)
The individual may immediately return to normal and continue doing whatever they were doing before.1