Childhood absence epilepsy

Epilepsy with onset in an otherwise normal child of 2 to 12 years of age, often with multiple daily brief staring episodes lasting an average of 10 seconds. Absence seizures are usually provoked by hyperventilation. The electroencephalogram shows ictal and interictal diffuse 2.5-3 cycles per second spike and wave discharges. The genetic pattern is probably polygenetic.