Absence seizures are seizures that generally last just a few
seconds, and are characterized by a blank or "absent" stare.
They're also sometimes called petit mal seizures. Absence
seizures are most common in children and typically don't cause
any long-term problems. Absence seizures usually occur when a
child is 4 to 12 years old. Your child may have 10, 50, or even
100 absence seizures in a given day. Sometimes absence seizures
can happen so subtly and so quickly that you never even notice
them. Seizures can occur for many different reasons, and not all
seizures are caused by epilepsy. Often, doctors don't know why
seizures happen. Facts about absence seizures An irregularity in
the brain's normal electrical activity causes absence seizures.
Most absence seizures are less than 15 seconds long. It's rare
for an absence seizure to last longer than 15 minutes. Absence
seizures strike suddenly without any warning signs. It's
uncommon for an absence seizure to continue into adulthood, but
it's possible to have an