Seizure types

The brain is responsible for all the functions of our body. What a person experiences during a seizure will depend on where in the brain the epileptic activity starts and how widely and quickly it spreads.

There are many different kinds of seizures. The following are the most common.

Absences

These mainly affect children but can last into adult life. They may be mistaken for day dreaming as there may be no outward sign that they’re taking place, other than the person ‘not being there’. Some people with absences may blink, chew or turn their head, but there is no loss of muscle control.

No first aid is needed for absence seizures.

Myoclonic

A myoclonic seizure is a muscle jerk. The jerk may affect just one limb, the head or, rarely, the whole body. Myoclonic seizures can affect people of any age, but are common in teenagers.

There is no first aid for myoclonic seizures themselves. However, if someone injures themselves because they have has fallen or been scalded because their arm has jerked whilst holding a hot drink, then the usual first aid for such injuries would be needed.

Tonic-clonic

These are the seizures most people relate to epilepsy. The person loses muscle tone and so falls. This is the tonic stage. Then the body starts a rhythmic jerking. This is the clonic stage. The seizure usually lasts a few minutes and many people go into a very deep sleep afterwards. During a tonic-clonic seizure the tongue may be bitten. The person may also be incontinent. Tonic-clonic seizures are common in people of all ages.

First aid is needed for tonic-clonic seizures. See [First aid for tonic clonic seizures].

Simple partial

In a simple partial seizure consciousness is not altered. The symptoms experienced will depend on which part of the brain the epileptic activity is in and how far it spreads. For example, the person may experience a feeling such as fear or elation, or a feeling of deja vu (a sensation that you have been in the same situation before). Alternatively, the person may experience a tingling feeling in one limb. This type of seizure may go unnoticed by an onlooker.

There is no first aid needed for simple partial seizures.

Complex partial

Complex partial seizures are more noticeable. The ‘complex’ in the title simply means that consciousness is impaired to some extent. In this type of seizure, the person may appear to be aware of their surroundings, but in fact they’re not. An example of this would be someone acting in a confused manner or talking nonsense.

Although no first aid is needed, try to make sure that they are safe. Bearing in mind that the person’s perception may be affected, if you need to guide them away from danger, such as a busy road or an open window, do this in a gentle and reassuring way. You can’t stop the seizure.

See also

• Seizure types
• First aid for seizures

Last updated 2 May 2007