Epilepsy - Petit Mal Seizures

activity patient occur grand

In contrast to the drama of the grand mal seizure, the petit mal may seem inconsequential. The patient interrupts whatever he is doing and for up to about 30 seconds may show subtle outward signs such as blinking his eyes, staring into space, or pausing in conversation. After the seizure he resumes his previous activity. Petit mal seizures are associated with heredity and they never occur in people over the age of 20 years. Oddly, though the seizures may occur several times a day, they do so usually when the patient is quiet and not during periods of activity. After puberty these seizures may disappear or they may be replaced by the grand mal type of seizure.

Citing this material

Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.

Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.

User Comments

over 1 year ago

jakil thomas

my name is j.t and i have experienced petitmal seizures since the age of 13 caused by a car accident which caused a head injury. so yes this statement is false cauce i am now 32 and still have petitmal seizures often and every once in a blue grandmal seizures.

almost 2 years ago

This information is not correct. My husband had a work-related head injury and now has petit mal seizures. He is 47 years old.

about 2 years ago

Emily

I've had seizures like this since I was 4 (I was born with Epilepsy) and it stopped when I was about 10. It is now coming back and I turn 20 in a few monthes. Saying it doesn't occur when people are over 20 is completely false.

almost 3 years ago

I am 19, and I have petimal seizures. it do happens to people under 20!

about 3 years ago

I too have petit mal seizures and have suffered from the age of 12. I am now 35. Though they are controlled by medication, I am afraid I have to agree with the previous poster. This information is not accurate. Whereas this may be varying and/or unusual to say it does not happen is a false statement. Please check your resources.

over 3 years ago

i have been diagnosed with petit mal seizure it was due to car car accident where my head hit the windshield that happened when i was 18 yrs old i am now 23 and still have them. so i do not understand how this can say it is heredity and they never occur in people over the age of 20 years i have been under the care of a neurologist since 2002 and am on medication. So this is completely not true