Untreated absence seizures can increase the risk of complications developing that can affect a person’s quality of life, as well as their ability to learn.
Absence seizures are a relatively mild form of seizure where a person loses consciousness for a few seconds. A person may appear as though they are staring off into space or not paying attention.
They often occur several times per day, but they may go unnoticed for several months or years. Treatment can help stop seizures from occurring, which may reduce the risk of complications and improve quality of life.
For many parents and caregivers, it can be hard to decide whether a child needs to receive treatment for absence seizures, especially if the episodes have not been very disruptive.
Keep reading for more information about absence seizures, including symptoms, causes, and treatment.
Untreated absence seizures could lead to certain complications and a reduced quality of life. If a person receives treatment for absence seizures, they can also prevent their occurrence.
Absence seizures cause a temporary loss of consciousness, often observed as a staring episode. These can occur several times per day and may be mistaken for daydreaming or not paying attention.
They typically only last for a few seconds with a person regaining conscious thoughts, often without realizing they experienced a seizure.
They can be the only seizure type a person has, and they often occur in children with genetic generalized epilepsies, such as:
- juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE)
- childhood absence epilepsy (CAE)
- juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME)
Typically, absence seizures stop as a person ages into adolescence. For example, research indicates that seizure freedom is reported in
If seizures persist into adulthood, they can cause significant issues in daily life and reduce overall quality of life when left untreated.
Untreated seizures could also endanger a person when engaging in activities such as:
- swimming
- driving
- operating heavy machinery
Read more about childhood epilepsy.
Absence seizures can be difficult to identify. Some children can go several months before others recognize a seizure is occurring.
Absence seizures typically involve staring spells with a brief loss of consciousness. Unlike other types of seizure, a person often remains standing or upright. These seizures can occur between
The seizure lasts for about 4 to 30 seconds, and the person often returns to what they were doing without realizing they just had a seizure. Other physical symptoms may include:
- paling in color
- oral automatisms, which are uncontrolled movements of the mouth, such as smacking lips, swallowing, or chewing
- eyelid fluttering
- slowed or abnormal continuation of activity
Observers may mistake the seizure for daydreaming or losing focus.
Absence seizures often occur due to an underlying epilepsy syndrome, such as CAE or JAE. They may experience other types of seizures,
People with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy,
Read about the possible symptoms of seizures.
Absence seizures can occur due to several different underlying epilepsy disorders. They
- JAE
- CAE
- JME
- Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
All generalized epilepsies, including absence epilepsies, contain a genetic component that is multifactorial and does not follow a specific pattern of inheritance. In other words, several factors can influence their development in children or teens.
Hyperventilation may trigger an absence seizure in some people. Children who are prone to absence seizures may experience one if they hyperventilate, such as when they’re particularly scared or excited. The episode can seem like a child is scared, crying, or excited, and then suddenly stops and stares.
Hyperventilation can also be a diagnostic tool in a controlled environment with the aid of an EEG scan.
Learn about idiopathic epilepsy.
The most common treatment for absence epilepsy is a medication called ethosuximide.
Some evidence suggests that another medication, levetiracetam, can also be effective in treating absence epilepsy. In a 2019 study, around a quarter of the people participating in the study experienced freedom from seizures after taking levetiracetam.
In those study participants, seizure remission occurred at a low dose. Those who did not experience remission required increasing doses and often benefited from switching to a different medication.
Other medications healthcare professionals may prescribe include:
- topiramate
- valproate
- lamotrigine
- zonisamide
- valproic acid
Some professionals suggest a ketogenic diet may help, but strong evidence
Sodium channel blockers may worsen absence seizures. Some examples include:
- carbamazepine
- phenytoin
- pregabalin
- gabapentin
- vigabatrin
Learn more about seizures and medications.
The following sections provide answers to some frequently asked questions about absence seizures.
Can untreated absence seizures cause brain damage?
Absence seizures
Can you leave absence seizures untreated?
Absence seizures can affect the frequency and potential for complications such as below-average school performance, development of depression, and language delays, among others. These potential outcomes suggest treating absence seizures may help a child improve their performance and prevent or reduce the severity of complications.
How long is too long for an absence seizure?
In most cases, absence seizures only last about 5 to 30 seconds. Longer seizures or when additional symptoms occur may warrant further investigation to determine the type of seizure a person is experiencing.
Do absence seizures need to be treated?
Though most stop as a child grows older, treatments may help improve quality of life and help prevent complications from occurring, such as issues with learning and language development.
Absence seizures are a type of seizure in which a person loses consciousness for a few seconds. During these seizures, people typically retain the ability to stand or sit and will not likely have major muscle contractions or obvious symptoms.
When left untreated, a person can develop several complications, including language, behavior, and learning delays. Medications can help prevent the seizures.
Most children grow out of absence seizures, but they can occur into adulthood.