ATYPICAL ABSENCE SEIZURE
What it sounds like:
ay-TIP-ih-kuhl ab-SAWNS SEE-zher
You're about to see what an atypical absence seizure looks like in real time. We'll walk you through the key things to remember after.
Get the seizure details
LENGTH
Atypical absence seizures normally last 5 to 30 seconds.1
BLANK STARE
The individual "blanks out" or stares into space for a short period of time, unaware of what's going on.1
EYE
MOVEMENT
The individual's eyes may turn upwards, then slowly close and open.1
OTHER
MOVEMENTS
The individual may also blink, make chewing movements with their mouth, smack or slightly jerk their lips, or rub their fingers or hands.1
AFTER THE
SEIZURE
(POSTICTAL)
The individual's eyes and body return to normal, and they usually continue doing whatever they were doing before. If they experience several of these seizures back-to-back, they may be confused or tired.1