Causes

The cause of some seizures is unknown. Causes can include:

• Brain tumor
• Infection that affects the brain
• Drugs, alcohol, or toxic substances, and sometimes withdrawal from those substances
• Certain chemical disturbances in the body from disease, dehydration, or even lack of sleep
• Scar tissue in the brain from an earlier illness or trauma
• Strokes or other blood system disorders
• Trauma to the brain from an accident or blow to the head
• High fever (in infants)

Symptoms

Partial or focal seizures involve part of the brain. A person suffering a partial seizure does not become unconscious during the seizure. Symptoms of a partial seizure can include:

• Uncontrolled twitching of some part of the body
• Loss of awareness for a couple of minutes
• Compulsive repetitive mannerisms such as picking at things for a few minutes
• Abnormal behaviors or emotions, such as laughing inappropriately
  Primary generalized seizures cause loss of unconsciousness. The two kinds of primary generalized seizures are grand mal, in which the body convulses while unconscious, and petit mal, in which it does not.

Symptoms of a grand mal seizure, which can last up to 2 minutes, can include:

• Sudden loss of consciousness
• Rigid body, either straight or arched backward
• Shaking of the arms, legs, and torso
• Biting the tongue
• Loss of bladder control

Symptoms of a petit mal seizure can include:

• Lapse of awareness
• Sudden collapse into unconsciousness, over in just a few seconds
• Sudden jerks of the arms and legs on one or both sides of the body, lasting no more than a few seconds

First Aid

A seizure is not, in itself, usually dangerous, although it may look frightening to others. If someone is having a seizure, take these steps:

• Make sure the person is in a place where he or she is not in danger.
• Move any objects the person might bump into during a seizure.
• Roll the person onto his or her side. Put a pillow or something else soft under the person’s head.
• Do not put any object, or your fingers, into the person’s mouth.
• Don’t try to restrain the person.
• Stay with the person through the seizure.
• Look for a medical alert bracelet that will tell you who to contact in an emergency and what medications the person may use.
• If the person doesn’t wake a few minutes after the seizure, call for emergency help.
• If there is another seizure right away, or if the seizure lasts more than 2 minutes, call for emergency help.

Someone with epilepsy, or recurring seizures, doesn’t need to see a doctor after each one. But if the person is pregnant, there are signs of illness or injury, or there are changes in the way the person feels during or after seizures, he or she should see the doctor.