Sometimes they have spells that are not seizures. Fever, and sleep deprivation, are the most common precipitants. It is always important to keep an open mind about the diagnosis of seizures. Just when you are sure what kind of spell the child is having, you may find yourself completely wrong, or the spells may change. There are many types of seizures, and Angelman kids usually have more than one type.
Most seizures are brief, lasting seconds to minutes.
We use the term status epilepticus to describe seizures lasting longer than 30 to 60 minutes, or shorter seizures occurring frequently, with incomplete recovery of consciousness between the spells. Absence status epilepticus occurs in Angelman kids who may be in and out of seizures for hours to months. If there are multiple jerks, they are often random and arrhythmic. The jerks may be subtle, or involve massive contraction of all the muscles of the body. They may be followed briefly by stiffness and momentary confusion.