Petit Mal Seizure
Petit mal seizures generally last just a couple of seconds according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. They're often defined by the person becoming "absent" for a few seconds--the person's speech or movement may be suddenly interrupted, then he continues as before. The person may stare or seem blank or unaware, begin chewing or smacking his lips, says the NLM. He may also become strangely still. As soon as the seizure has passed, the person is back to normal with no confusion or memory of what just happened. A petit mal seizure does not cause convulsions or loss of consciousness.
Generalized Tonic-Clinic Seizure
Sometimes called a grand mal seizure, a tonic-clonic seizure is a more violent type of seizure that often involves the whole body. Often preceded by an aura, this type of seizure typically causes the person to become unconscious or faint, says the NLM, and may last up to five minutes. People may lose control of their bowels or bladder, stop breathing and begin biting their tongues or cheeks. Contractions of the muscles are common so the person may appear very stiff.
Partial Seizure
Also called a focal seizure, partial seizures can have a variety of symptoms depending on where in the brain they occur and how severe the seizure is. Like a tonic-clonic seizure, muscles may alternately contract and relax, says the NLM. A partial seizure typically affects only one side of the body, but will often cause unusual movements and motion of the head. Repetitive behaviors such as swallowing, chewing, smacking the lips, moving the mouth or picking at something may also occur. Other characteristics include sweating, nausea, stomach ache, rapid heartbeat and hallucinations.
