When Your Child Spaces Out: Could It Be Absence Epilepsy?

Sometimes you can’t get through to your young child. Maybe they seem to zone out when you ask them to do something around the house. When they’re eating, they may suddenly stop, let their food fall from their hand, and stare blankly for several seconds.

Is your child just a daydreamer, or is something wrong? If you’ve mentioned this behavior to their primary care doctor, they may have recommended a consultation with a specialist. 

Board-certified pediatric neurologist Dr. Charles Niesen and our team at AMS Neurology in Pasadena, California, treat childhood neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Dr. Niesen administers neurological and physical tests to ascertain whether your child may have a form of epilepsy called absence epilepsy. 

What is absence epilepsy?

Absence epilepsy is characterized by sudden, small seizures, formerly called petit mal seizures. The seizures usually last 10-20 seconds, making them easy to miss for a casual observer. 

As a parent, you may have noticed your child’s unresponsiveness and want to know whether they’re in any danger. 

What are the symptoms of absence epilepsy? 

The following are classic signs of absence epilepsy. 

Suddenly unresponsive 

Does your child sometimes stop in the middle of an activity and become unreachable, seeming to stare straight ahead? Maybe you’re playing a board game they really like, and they drop their marker and stop talking. 

You call their name and touch their arm, but they don’t respond. Then, after a few seconds, they continue their play as if nothing happened. 

At first, you might think your child is being defiant when this happens, but you realize they’re in the middle of an enjoyable activity and have no reason to ignore you. 

These seizures tend to happen very suddenly, when your child is in the middle of an activity. This sudden, brief loss of awareness while your child is awake is a classic sign of absence epilepsy.

These brief episodes can occur many times a day and may be mistaken for daydreaming or inattention.

Memory lapse

If you ask your child whether they remember pausing in the middle of a game, they may say they don’t recall you calling their name or touching their arm. This lack of memory during the episode is a common feature of absence epilepsy.

Certain physical symptoms 

You may notice subtle physical movements your child makes during these episodes. They might blink rapidly, flutter their eyelids, smack their lips, or make other small movements with their hands, mouth, or head. These involuntary movements can occur with absence epilepsy. 

When sudden unresponsiveness is not due to daydreaming 

Sometimes your child doesn’t pay attention. That’s normal, especially if you’re asking them to perform a household chore. However, if you touch their face, call their name, or turn them to face you and they don’t respond, you know they’re not just daydreaming. 

Treatment of absence epilepsy

Dr. Niesen prescribes medication for your child’s absence epilepsy and monitors their condition closely. If they experience absence epilepsy in early childhood, there’s a good chance they’ll outgrow the seizures. 

If the seizures begin in or around puberty, your child is less likely to outgrow them and will need medical help to manage them as they mature. 

Call AMS Neurology or book an appointment online today if you suspect your child may have absence epilepsy or another neurological condition.