Seizure

About the Symptom

A seizure or "seizure attack" happens when normal connections in the brain are interrupted. Seizures have different appearances and can include confusion, staring spells, or jerking motions of the arms and legs.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Seizure

Possible Causes

Generally, Seizure can be related to:

• MELAS Syndrome

  MELAS is a rare genetic disorder that starts in childhood and mainly affects the nervous system and muscles. The disorder is transmitted through the affected person's mother. Typical MELAS symptoms include weak muscles, sudden ("stroke-like") neurological symptoms such as paralysis of the right or left side of the body, blindness, or numbness, in addition to seizures and migraine-like headaches. People who have MELAS are also typically short in size, and have difficulty hearing.

• Benign Infantile Spasm Associated with Mild Gastroenteritis

  Benign infantile spasm associated with mild gastroenteritis or Benign convulsions with mild gastroenteritis (CwG) are benign seizures that occur in infants and children aged between 6 months and 3 years and are associated with acute (viral) gastroenteritis. The pathogens found in the stool of CwG patients are mostly rotavirus or norovirus, which can result in mild dehydration. Short-lasting seizures (≤ 5 minutes) occur in clusters within 24 hours, without provoking features such as fever, abnormal laboratory findings in the blood (e.g., hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, or hypocalcemia), or abnormal results in the cerebrospinal fluid (e.g., central nervous system infection).

• Fatty Acid Metabolism Disorder

  Fatty acid metabolism disorders are genetic disorders that result from the body's inability to produce or use an enzyme or protein needed to oxidize fatty acids. This leaves the body unable to produce energy in the liver and muscles from fatty acid sources when all the glucose in the body has been used up.

• Breath Holding Spells

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Seizure may be related to these serious diseases:

• Eclampsia

  This is a serious condition with an unknown origin that may start as a combination of symptoms and blood work abnormalities that ends in seizures due to uncontrolled high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy (and sometimes postpartum). It can lead to severe organ damage and death of both mother and baby if not treated emergently.

• Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES)

• Febrile Seizure
• Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVT)
• Amino Acid Metabolism Disorders
• Encephalitis / Encephalopathy

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Have you experienced any seizures?
• When did you first have a seizure?
• How often do you have a seizure?
• Did you have a seizure in the past week?
• Did you have a one-sided seizure?

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