Question

While examining an 8-year-old girl in your office, the child suddenly develops a blank stare and flickering eyelids. Twenty seconds later she returns to normal and acts as if nothing out of the ordinary has occurred. Think?

A) Sleep disorder
B) Absence seizure
C) Panic attack
D) Allergic reaction

Answer 1

The described symptoms indicate an absence seizure, a brief disturbance of brain activity seen in children, characterized by a transient absence of conscious awareness, and not typically related to sleep disorders, panic attacks, or allergic reactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario described suggests that the 8-year-old girl experienced an absence seizure. This type of seizure is characterized by a sudden onset of a blank stare, possibly accompanied by subtle body movements such as flickering eyelids. The seizure typically lasts for a few seconds to half a minute, and the person quickly returns to normal, often without awareness of the event. Absence seizures are common in children and are a condition within pediatric neurology. The symptoms mentioned do not align with sleep disorders, panic attacks, or allergic reactions. A sleep disorder might include more pronounced symptoms during sleep, a panic attack would involve more conscious signs of distress, and an allergic reaction would likely come with additional physical symptoms. In contrast, absence seizures are sudden and short, with an immediate return to normal behavior.