What is a staring spell?

They are caused by a temporary spark of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. During the seizure, the child will stop what she's doing and stare ahead. She may stay still during the event, or make chewing or smacking noises with her mouth. Her eyelids may flutter, and she may not respond to others speaking to her.

What could cause staring spells?

Staring spells are common in children and may be epileptic (e.g., absence or complex partial seizures) or nonepileptic (e.g., inattention or daydreaming). The diagnosis is typically based on parental reports of the episode and results of electroencephalography (EEG).

What is staring a symptom of?

What are absence seizures? An absence seizure causes you to blank out or stare into space for a few seconds. They can also be called petit mal seizures. Absence seizures are most common in children and typically don't cause any long-term problems.

How long does a staring spell last?

An indication of simple absence seizure is a vacant stare, which may be mistaken for a lapse in attention that lasts about 10 seconds, though it may last as long as 20 seconds, without any confusion, headache or drowsiness afterward.

Is a spell a seizure?

You might hear a seizure called a convulsion, fit, or spell. Most people think of a seizure as shaking all over and losing control of your body. But there are different kinds of seizures, and all of them are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Seizures 04 Staring Spells

What causes staring spells in adults?

An absence seizure causes a short period of “blanking out” or staring into space. Like other kinds of seizures, they are caused by brief abnormal electrical activity in a person's brain. An absence seizure is a generalized onset seizure, which means it begins in both sides of the brain at the same time.

Are staring spells always seizures?

Though most staring spells are perfectly normal, sometimes they can signal an absence seizure. Once known as petit-mal (“little sickness”) seizures, absence seizures most commonly affect children between ages 4 and 14, but older kids and even adults can occasionally have them.

What type of seizure is staring spell?

An absence seizure is the term for a type of seizure involving staring spells. This type of seizure is a brief (usually less than 15 seconds) disturbance of brain function due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Can ADHD cause staring spells?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD shares the core symptoms of inattention, staring episodes or daydreaming.

What can be mistaken for absence seizures?

Staring. Staring and daydreaming are sometimes confused for an absence seizure. A child may appear to be staring off into space and at first doesn't respond to his name. Probably that child is simply concentrating or thinking about another place or time.

What does it mean when a person has a blank stare?

Definition of blank stare

: a look that shows one does not understand what someone has said or does not know the answer to a question My question only drew/got a blank stare.

What are the different types of stares?

Is staring an illness?

Absolutely! Compulsive staring is a type of OCD characterized by the persistent need to stare at genitals or breasts, regardless of whether or not someone wants to stare at them.

What do mild seizures look like?

A staring spell. Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs. Loss of consciousness or awareness. Cognitive or emotional symptoms, such as fear, anxiety or deja vu.

What do focal seizures look like?

Patients experiencing a complex focal seizure may stare blankly into space, or experience automatisms (non-purposeful, repetitive movements such as lip smacking, blinking, grunting, gulping or shouting).

Why does my child blank stare?

Most children who stare off into space are not actually experiencing seizures. Perhaps they are daydreaming about warmer weather or something they are interested in. If you find you can't get your child's attention during these stares, though, it won't hurt to visit his/her primary care physician.

Is daydreaming a seizure?

Because absence seizures are usually quite brief, tend to strike during times of inactivity, and closely resemble daydreaming or "being off in one's own world," they may pass unnoticed by others and go undiagnosed for some time. Absence seizures fall into two categories: typical and atypical.

What happens if absence seizures go untreated?

Usually absence seizures last no longer than 15 seconds, but that loss of consciousness can make paying attention in school and learning more difficult especially when they occur multiple times a day. Children who have absence seizures may miss things throughout the day and even risk getting hurt.

What foods should I avoid if I have ADHD?

What is a staring episode?

An absence seizure is the term for a type of seizure involving staring spells. This type of seizure is a brief (usually less than 15 seconds) disturbance of brain function due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Can stress cause absence seizures?

Some people experience symptoms similar to those of an epileptic seizure but without any unusual electrical activity in the brain. When this happens it is known as a non-epileptic seizure (NES). NES is most often caused by mental stress or a physical condition.

Are you aware during absence seizures?

The person is not fully aware of what is going on around them. For example, they will not notice if someone is talking to them. If they are talking to someone, they may stop talking in the middle of the sentence. Atypical absence seizures most often affect school age children.

What is a aura seizure?

Some patients have an unusual sensation or feeling, known as an aura, that alerts them to an upcoming seizure before it happens. The aura is actually a simple focal seizure, also known as a partial seizure. These types of seizures only affect a small part of the brain and only occur in one side of the brain.

Can absence seizures cause death?

Untreated Absence Seizures Leads to Sudden Death.

How do you break the habit of staring?

I suggest you need to start focusing your gaze on things rather than people and make an active effort to remove your gaze from people to other objects. Besides, if you make eye to eye contact do not hesitate to have a slight smile on your face.