There are many kinds of seizures, which occur because of a misfiring of the electrical activity in the brain. One of the mildest seizures is called a petit mal or absence seizure. It may be so mild and brief that it goes unnoticed, or be misinterpreted as inattentiveness. They tend to last just a few seconds and may occur hundreds of times a day. Because of this, patients can experience petit mal seizures for years before being diagnosed. These types of seizures are most common in individuals younger than age 20. They may occur as a result of a disease such as epilepsy, or they can occur with no known cause. In some cases, a child may outgrow them as the brain develops.
Staring
According to the National Institutes of Health, a common sign that someone is having a petit mal seizure is a blank or vacant stare. The eyes may remain wide open or the eyelids may flutter. The person may appear to be unaware of her surroundings and be unable to respond to you. This usually comes on suddenly and resolves quickly. The victim remains conscious the entire time, and is usually not aware that a seizure occurred.
Cessation of Movement
A petit mal seizure can cause the person to abruptly stop walking, talking or engaging in his current activity, though he will not fall. In most cases the seizure ends abruptly. The Epilepsy Foundation states that this type of seizure usually occurs without any warning, and does not produce any lasting effects. After the seizure, the person may go right back to the activity that they were doing as if nothing happened.
Additional Signs
The Mayo Clinic recommends observing the victim for chewing motions, lip smacking, hand tremors, jerky movements of both arms, or brief periods of confusion. Along with these signs, the facial muscles may twitch and be accompanied by a lack of muscle tone in the face. For some patients, the diagnosis comes only after a teacher or employer complains about the person's lack of ability to concentrate or a decrease in performance.
