Types of seizures (fits)

• More information about seizure types can be found on our website.

There are many different types of seizures, some that affect the whole brain and some that affect part of the brain.

Tonic-clonic seizures (sometimes called grand mal)

The person loses consciousness, goes stiff and falls to the ground. Sometimes they appear to cry out. The skin (particularly around the mouth and under the finger nails) may look blue. The person may wet or soil themselves. Their limbs jerk. The person may bite their tongue and the inside of their cheeks. Slowly they will come round, but may well be groggy or confused. Very often, the person remains sleepy and may have a headache and aching limbs.

Absence seizures (sometimes called petit mal)

During an absence seizure the person is unconscious for a few seconds. It may look as if they are daydreaming or switching off. However, they won’t know what is happening around them and they cannot be woken up. Absence seizures are most common in childhood.

Myoclonic seizures

These are sudden jerks. They can affect the whole body, but are usually just in one or both arms and sometimes the head. The person is not conscious, but the seizure is so brief that they look as if they are fully conscious.

Focal (Partial) Seizures

In these seizures the epileptic activity starts in just one part of your brain. The symptoms of a focal seizure depend on which part of the brain the activity is happening in. You may remain alert during this type of seizure, or you may not be aware of what is happening. You may have movements that you can’t control, or unusual sensations or feelings. Sometimes, onlookers may not be aware that you are having a seizure.

Focal seizures can be very brief or last for minutes. Sometimes, epileptic activity starts as a focal seizure, spreads to the rest of your brain and becomes a generalised seizure or tonic-clonic seizure.

• More information on focal seizures