Patient's question:
A 12-year-old female patient suddenly sits up at night, murmuring incoherently, with vacant eyes, lasting only about a minute, then lies down and falls asleep; sometimes she gets out of bed, stands in front of the bed for a moment, and then goes back to bed to sleep. She had two episodes of high fever with convulsions during her childhood. Is she sleepwalking? Or could it be a minor seizure?Doctor's answer:
Hello, petit mal epilepsy is a common type of epilepsy attack, and its symptoms are quite different from those of grand mal epilepsy. Petit mal epilepsy is not obvious and does not look as terrifying as grand mal epilepsy; it is relatively mild. Petit mal epilepsy is more common in children with epilepsy, with absence seizures being the most prevalent. The duration of petit mal epilepsy is short. Understanding the symptoms of petit mal epilepsy is important for paying attention to some episodic symptoms in children. If the attacks are frequent, even though the duration is short, it should also be taken seriously and not left unattended. If petit mal epilepsy is not treated in time, it may progress to grand mal epilepsy, causing more severe effects on the child. Petit mal epilepsy in children can manifest as sudden falls, resulting in head, nose, or facial injuries, or limb injuries. After falling, the child quickly regains consciousness and may not know why they fell. Some children may experience absence seizures accompanied by mild facial, limb, or head twitching. Sometimes, it may be accompanied by involuntary chewing, swallowing, or fumbling movements. At times, it may also be accompanied by sweating, drooling, or urinary incontinence.