ABSTRACT
Recurrent staring spells are a frequent cause for referral to child neurologists and electroencephalogram (EEG) laboratories. These events may initially be noted by parents or teachers, and may be difcult to differentiate from behavioral inattentiveness-particularly in children with attention decit disorder. However, some of the children will have epilepsy where the staring spells represent seizures. The two main seizure types that present as staring spells, namely, absence and complex partial, can usually be differentiated based upon their clinical features. Absence seizures tend to last several seconds in duration, manifest as behavioral arrests with brief interruptions in speech or activities, and have no postictal state. Longer absences may be associated with simple motor automatisms. In untreated children, absence seizures may occur hundreds of times per day.
