CLASSIFICATION OF SEIZURES
GENERALISED SEIZURES
Tonic–clonic (previously known as ‘grand mal’)
The person becomes rigid, and may fall if standing. The muscles relax and then tighten rhythmically, causing the person to convulse. The breathing becomes labored and the person may also become incontinent. There is a brief period of unconsciousness and, on waking, the person may be tired and confused and have a headache.
Tonic
The person is affected by generalized stiffening of muscles, without rhythmical jerking.
Atonic (drop attacks)
This consists of a sudden loss of muscle tone. The person may fall to the floor, suddenly, without warning.
Myoclonic
The person experiences abrupt jerking of the limbs. This type of seizure often happens within a short time of the person waking up.
Absences
These consist of a brief interruption of consciousness without any other signs, except possibly a fluttering of the eyelids. It commonly occurs in children, and was previously known as ‘petit mal’. These ‘absences’ may be mistaken for ‘daydreaming’ by the person so affected (NICE Health Technology Appraisal 2004).
