When To Consult A Doctor Regarding Spells That Star?

If you notice your child experiencing staring spells that are similar to absence seizures, it is crucial to contact your child’s pediatrician or a pediatric neurologist immediately. Absence seizures, once known as petit-mal (“little sickness”) seizures, are short episodes of unresponsiveness and loss of consciousness caused by brief abnormal electrical activity in the brain. They are more common during childhood and can be epileptic (e.g., absence or complex partial seizures) or nonepileptic (e.g., inattention or daydreaming).

A history of staring spells is often elicited during the pediatric neurology evaluation of children presenting with short attention, distractibility, and other symptoms. These staring spells are the hallmarks of absence seizures, which are brief episodes of unresponsiveness and loss of consciousness. Epilepsy, a neurological disorder that affects nearly seventy million people, is a common cause of these seizures.

If your child does not respond when you snap your fingers or call her name during a staring spell, it may be appropriate to see your pediatrician, who can evaluate the child and refer to a pediatric neurologist. Persistent or frequent staring spells might indicate a medical condition known as absence seizures.

Changes in alertness (consciousness), such as staring episodes, lack of awareness of surroundings, sudden halt in movement, talking, and other awake activities, are typical symptoms of an absence seizure. The symptoms of a typical absence seizure include staring blankly and not responding to speech or a touch on the arm. Sometimes, they include symptoms of other conditions.

When a patient has staring spells suspected to be seizures, a general pediatric neurologist or a pediatric epileptologist should be consulted. The seizure usually lasts more than five minutes, and the person isn’t breathing after the seizure stops. A second seizure may follow.

What mental illness causes blank stares?

Akinetic catatonia is a common type of arousal, where the person remains silent and unresponsive to communication. This can be repeated or they may remain in an unusual position. Excited catatonia involves impulsive, pointless movement, or mimicking someone’s movements. Malignant catatonia occurs when these symptoms lead to health problems, such as dangerous changes in blood pressure, body temperature, breathing, or heart rate. Those with long-term catatonic episodes may be more susceptible to dehydration, blood clots, or kidney failure.

Does ADHD cause staring?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition characterized by inattention, staring episodes, and daydreaming. It is characterized by easy distractibility, disorganization, forgetfulness, and a tendency to lose things. Impulsive symptoms include fidgeting, excessive talking, noisy behavior, and interrupting others. Hyperactivity symptoms may remit as the child matures, but inattentive and staring symptoms often persist.

Both CAE and ADHD can coexist in a patient, and if the patient is misdiagnosed with CAE instead of ADHD and begins on antiepileptic medications, these may contribute to attention difficulties, irritability, and hyperactivity.

To make the correct diagnosis, accurate history taking, information from caregivers, and research are crucial. If there is insufficient information from the parent or teacher, it is suggested that the main caregivers keep a chart documenting the behavior.

What is the differential diagnosis for staring spells?

Staring spells can be diagnosed as absence epilepsy, focal seizures with alteration of awareness, and nonepileptic paroxysmal events. Focal epilepsy with alteration of awareness can also present with behavioral arrest and automatisms, but these are less frequent than absence seizures. A study using video-EEG monitoring found that nonepileptic staring spells were often characterized by arrest of all activity, vague facial expressions, and vision fixed on one point without blinking.

The duration of these episodes ranged from 3 to 74 seconds. Detecting the onset and end of the event was difficult in most children, but energetic measures like hand clapping or loud sounds successfully stopped the events. A significant percentage of children were inactive at the onset of the stare and 18 were watching television when the event began.

What happens if absence seizures go untreated?

Absence seizures, which are usually brief and do not cause brain injury, can sometimes last for hours or days, a condition known as absence status epilepticus. However, they can lead to learning problems and increase the risk of injury due to frequent impairment of consciousness and their lack of warning. Accidental injuries during absence seizures, such as bicycle accidents or car accidents, are the greatest risks. Therefore, children with absence seizures should be treated aggressively to stop them, not just decrease them.

Children with absence epilepsy may not always perform well in social, school, and work environments. Studies show that those with a history of epilepsy are more likely to have problems with school, interpersonal relationships, mental health, behavior, and substance abuse. Additionally, young women with a history of absence epilepsy have a higher rate of unplanned pregnancy compared to those with arthritis.

What is an autistic staring spell?

The study aimed to differentiate between epileptic seizures and non-epileptic spells in children with autism spectrum disorder presenting with staring spells. Staring spells are periods of time when children “space out” and are subcategorized as either absence seizures (brain activity resembling a seizure but with no physical seizure symptoms) or inattentiveness or daydreaming. These spells are usually diagnosed via long-term video electroencephalograms, which are monitored for 3-5 days.

However, electroencephalograms may be difficult to perform in children with autism spectrum disorder due to behavior, cognitive, or sensory concerns. The study reviewed 140 charts from 2010-2021, dividing the 140 children into two groups: those diagnosed with epileptic seizures and those with non-epileptic spells. The study found that the two groups differed in clinical characteristics such as the duration of staring spells, the number of spells in a week, and verbal responses. The study suggests that clinical features may be helpful in differentiating epileptic seizures from non-epileptic spells in children with autism spectrum disorder.

How long until a seizure is serious?

Seizures are a common condition characterized by a range of symptoms and severity, ranging from mild to severe. They can occur after a stroke, head injury, or infection like meningitis. Most seizures can be controlled with medication, but managing them can affect daily life. It is essential to work with a healthcare professional to balance seizure control and medication side effects. Seizures can range from 30 seconds to two minutes, with longer seizures requiring medical attention.

What disease causes a blank stare?

Absence seizures are a type of epilepsy caused by abnormal brain activity, causing confusion and causing a brief blanking out or staring into space. They are most common in children aged 4-14 and are often triggered by hyperventilation. These seizures can be severe, affecting learning and concentration at school. Treatment is crucial, and not everyone with a seizure has epilepsy, as a diagnosis can be made after two or more seizures. Most children with typical absence seizures are otherwise normal, but they can affect their learning and concentration. Treatment is essential for those experiencing these seizures.

Is staring a symptom of autism?

Staring is not a form of autism, as it is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social interaction, communication, and restricted behaviors. Children with autism may use prolonged staring to self-regulate or cope with sensory overload, finding comfort in repetitive visual stimuli. This can also manifest social communication challenges, such as difficulty with eye contact or social engagement.

However, difficulty maintaining eye contact is common among individuals with autism, and the absence of eye contact does not necessarily indicate autism in every case. Various factors can contribute to differences in eye contact behavior.

What are staring spells a symptom of?

An absence seizure is a sudden, unconscious, or erratic seizure where the person experiences a brief, blank stare, loss of awareness, complete stop in activity, occasional eyelid fluttering, or automatic hand or mouth movements. The seizure can occur multiple times daily or occasionally for weeks to months, and the person may feel missed or not notice anything happening, but remain awake and thinking clearly.

What is the difference between staring spells and absence seizures?

Absence seizures, also known as petit mal seizures, are a type of epilepsy affecting children aged four to fourteen. These seizures involve a brief loss of consciousness, often resulting in staring into space for a few seconds. They are often mistaken for absentmindedness or daydreaming, as they do not involve convulsions or jerking movements.

The difference between absence seizures and daydreaming is that absence seizures occur frequently throughout the day, sometimes dozens of times, while daydreaming episodes are less frequent and do not follow a pattern. Absence seizures usually last for 10 to 20 seconds, while daydreaming episodes can vary in duration and last longer.

An absence seizure results in a loss of awareness, making it difficult to focus on the child’s surroundings. Physical movements during an absence seizure are minimal, while daydreaming may involve fidgeting or other subtle movements.

Frequent absence seizures can disrupt a child’s daily life and academic performance, while daydreaming typically does not have significant effects. Recognizing these differences is crucial for timely medical evaluation and appropriate treatment.

How long can a staring seizure last?

A simple absence seizure is a brief, unconscious lapse in attention that can last 10 seconds to 30 seconds. It involves a vacant stare, lip smacking, eyelid flutters, chewing motions, finger rubbing, and small movements of both hands. Typically, there is no memory of the incident, but if longer, the person may be aware of missed time. Some people experience many episodes daily, which can interfere with school or daily activities.