Petit Mal seizures are another name for which type of seizure?

• A. Absence seizures.
• B. Myoclonic seizures.
• C. Tonic seizures.
• D. Atonic seizures.

Answer: (A)

Petit Mal seizures describe absence seizures—brief lapses of consciousness with a momentary halt in activity, often accompanied by subtle automatisms like eye blinking or lip-smacking, lasting only a few seconds and with quick return to baseline. They commonly begin in childhood and don’t produce the dramatic convulsions seen with other seizure types; there’s typically no prolonged confusion afterward. EEG shows a characteristic 3 Hz spike-and-wave pattern during these events. This helps distinguish them from other seizures, such as myoclonic seizures (sudden jerks), tonic seizures (stiffening), or atonic seizures (loss of muscle tone with potential falls).