Little known, absence epilepsy (or “petit mal”) is nevertheless one of the most common types of epileptic seizures. The absence can occur at any time and generally lasts up to a few tens of seconds.
What is the definition of absence epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological disease that affects more than 650,000 people in France. Among the types of possible seizures, absence epilepsy, formerly called “petit mal”, affects many epileptic patients. Some people are only affected by absences when others may also have other types of seizures such as tonic-clonic seizures. Little known, epileptic absence corresponds to “a break in contact with the environment, explains Christophe Lucas, president of the Epilepsy France association. That usually lasts a few seconds even a minute or two but rarely more.”
The person who has an absence often stares into space, Is indifferent to other people’s words or what is happening around her and seems distracted. “Generally, the person continues to do what he was doing but automatically, without being aware of it. It can be very dangerous for her because depending on the action she can risk getting hurt.”
What causes absence epilepsy?
Absence epilepsy is caused by abnormal and repetitive electrical discharges from the cerebral cortex. These discharges lead to dysfunction of the central nervous system. We then witness a crisis which sometimes takes the form of an alteration of consciousness. Absence epilepsy affects all forms of epilepsy, namely:
► Known epilepsies: “They are linked to an accident of life such as a fall and can cause stigmata in the brain.”
► Genetic epilepsies: “They are due to a mutation or modification of a gene or several genes. Today 44 genetic syndromes have been identified”
► Idiopathic or unknown epilepsies: “For these forms, although research is progressing, no particular reason can explain the appearance of epilepsy.“
What are the causes of absence epilepsy in children?
“The causes and origins of an absence in children are the same as in adults. assures Christophe Lucas. On the other hand, diagnosis in children is very difficult. “In the school environment, the teachers, who do not know the pathology well, note that the child is head in the air, not concentrated, tired… Even at the doctor’s office, the symptoms can be ignored and this therefore generates a delay in diagnosis. considerable”he laments.
You should know that there is no cure for epilepsy except in very rare cases thanks to surgery. The treatment can only reduce the intensity or frequency of attacks. Three antiepileptic treatments are often used in the management of absence epilepsy: valproate, ethosuximide and lamotrigine. Other treatments can be proposed but are less effective. However, “approximately 30% of epileptic patients are unresponsive to treatment, they are said to be drug resistant. For patients taking absences, the risk of drug resistance is 20%. This is one of the main issues in the management of epilepsy”. Treatments may also cause side effects such as difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, significant fatigue or even eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia. Finally, it is important to know what to do if you find yourself with a person who is completely absent: “You have to be vigilant so that she does not put herself in danger, but there is no point in interacting with her, talking to her or touching her to help her get out of the crisis because it is generally of no interest. .“
Thanks to Christophe Lucas, president of the association Epilepsy France.