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Seizure Disorder, Absence

John F Emerson, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

A type of generalized nonmotor seizure characterized by a brief lapse of awareness. Classified by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) (1): 
  • Typical have an abrupt onset ...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Detailed description of episode, including activity at onset, any automatisms, duration of episode, frequency of episodes, aura or postictal state, age of onset, and birth and develop...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

ALERT

Patients should refrain from activities that would put them at risk if a seizure occurred (e.g., climbing heights, swimming unsupervised, cycling on busy roads, driving,...

ONGOING CARE

PATIENT EDUCATION

  • Caregivers should be informed that tonic-clonic seizures are rare in absence seizures, but should be taught how to manage a generalized tonic-clonic seizure.

  • Caregivers wh...

REFERENCES

1
Fisher RS, Cross JH, D'Souza C, et al. Instruction manual for the ILAE 2017 operational classification of seizure types. Epilepsia. 2017;58(4):531-542.
2
Matricardi S, Verrotti A, Chiarelli ...

CODES

ICD10

  • G40.409 Other generalized epilepsy and epileptic syndromes, not intractable, without status epilepticus

  • G40.419 Oth generalized epilepsy, intractable, w/o stat epi

  • G40.401 Oth generalized epi...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Children with CAE can exhibit cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial comorbidities. For these children, attentional deficits are the most important marker of cognitive dysfunction and...

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