Absence vs Complex Partial? Differences?

[chmmr]

I curious how to tell the difference between an absence and a complex partial. From my reading it seems they can both present very much the same way (staring, non responsive etc) but how do you tell the difference between them because they seem to be "attached" to different forms of epilepsy

The one i saw yesterday was in my 3 year old so i can't tell if she had auras or anything else, but we pulled into our carport after a short 4 minute drive in the bright sun. She was tired as they hadn't had a nap yesterdayI turned around to talk to her and her twin brother like i always do and found her staring straight ahead at the front of the van. I called her name and grabbed her leg (i have been told to touch them if i suspect a seizure so we can differentiate between a true seizure and a young child behaviour, and she didn't respond. I sat there for a few seconds kind of processing what was going on, and realized during that time that her tongue was forward and resting on her lips (we see this forward tongue position sometimes with her and have never really figured out what it means) and then all of a sudden she kind of jumped (like a startle reflex like she was shocked that i was suddenly right in front of her) and then was fine again after that.

My first thought was it was an absence, but that doesn't really fit with the temporal lobe eeg abnormalities that she has so is it more of a complex partial because of the tongue? So confused.

 

[chmmr]

Anyone?

 

[Soniag]

i think the main differences are that with complex partials they start with auras and the seizure lasts longer than an absence. unlike an absence, a complex partial is usually followed by confusion

 

[Nakamova]

Absence seizures can be mistaken for very brief daydreaming. Just a few seconds where the brain flips on and off. Complex seizures tend be longer and involve automatisms -- lip-smacking, picking at clothing -- as well speech and movement that are strange or somewhat garbled. The person may be "awake" to some extent but they are not aware of their level of impairment.