Absence seizures are more specifically identified as which type of seizures?

Absence seizures, also known as petit mal seizures, are characterized by brief episodes of altered consciousness where the individual may seem to be ‘shut down’ or staring blankly for a few seconds. These seizures are often subtle and may go unnoticed, commonly occurring in children. During an absence seizure, a person does not exhibit the convulsive movements associated with other types of seizures, which distinguishes them from more severe seizure types.

The term "petit mal" translates to "small illness" in French, indicative of the relatively non-invasive nature of these seizures compared to others. In contrast to absence seizures, clonic seizures involve repeated rhythmic jerking of muscles, grand mal seizures (now referred to as tonic-clonic seizures) consist of a combination of both tonic (stiffening) and clonic (jerking) phases, and atonic seizures are characterized by a sudden loss of muscle tone, leading to falls or drop attacks. Each of these seizure types presents with distinctive features and mechanisms, underscoring the specific classification of absence seizures as petit mal.