Juvenile absence seizure is very similar to childhood absence seizures, so it can be hard to tell apart the two syndromes. Juvenile absence seizures usually develop after childhood absences (usually between 7 and 17 years with the development of peak to be between 10 and 12 years old). Juvenile absence epilepsy is a generalized epilepsy syndrome idiomatic, meaning that the crises that affect the entire brain (generalized), but the cause of the syndrome is unknown (idiomatic).
Absences are not seizures look. Seizures can be misinterpreted as a lack of attention, and there may be a number of unidentified cases of juvenile absence seizures as a result. It is possible that disease may actually be more widespread than current data suggest. Currently it is estimated that about 20 percent of absences in children begins after 10 years, and most of these cases are classified as young absences (Donner, EJ et al., 2006).
What Causes Juvenile Absence Seizures?
The causes of young absences are not well understood, but as childhood absence epilepsy, the disorder is probably inherited. About a third of children with Down syndrome have a family history of juvenile absence seizures (Holmes, GL, 2006). Neurological diseases and the development seems to be a factor, and most adolescents with absence seizures experienced in normal development in both areas.
What Do Juvenile Absence Seizures Look Like?
Juvenile absences tend to be more, but less common than absence seizures in children. A young man can only experience a few seizures a day. These may or may not occur in clusters.
Absences are often so subtle that they can remain undetected until a tonic-clonic (seizure) occurs.
- About 80 percent of adolescents with absence seizures will experience an occasional tonic-clonic seizures (Epilepsy Action, nd).
- Status epilepticus absence (a serious condition in which a long succession of attacks happen) are also common.
- Myoclonic (muscle contraction) seizures may also occur but are much less prevalent in adolescents with juvenile absence epilepsy.
What’s the Prognosis for Juvenile Absence Seizures?
Most adolescents with juvenile absence seizures do not overcome their crises and should continue to take medication for life. Antiepileptic drugs successfully control seizures in most cases. The effectiveness of medication may partly depend on the individual. Some common choices of life in adolescence, such as drinking and staying up late can cause seizures and reduce the effectiveness of medication. It is important for teens to make responsible choices as part of the treatment and control of their disease.