When this type of seizure occurs, a person will fall to the ground, lose consciousness and develop contractions and jerking of the muscles. Another form of epilepsy, less well know, is petit mal. This form of epilepsy is much more difficult to diagnose. With petit mal seizures, the individual experiences a 10-30 second loss of consciousness closely resembling a stare. There are many different degrees of seizures and almost as many types.
Epilepsy is most likely to occur after a head injury.
One in every 50 persons has epilepsy. Learning and epilepsy The vast majority of persons with epilepsy find their seizures well controlled with one or more anti-convulsive medications. They attend regular classes and have normal intelligence. Some children have more difficulty with seizure control and must take large doses of seizure medication that can affect their school accomplishments. Special education classes are sometimes recommended when the epilepsy contributes to learning difficulties.