Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) occurs more frequently in people with epilepsy than in the general population. Children with ADHD have an increased risk of seizures, with approximately 14% of children with ADHD developing seizures.
Can ADHD meds cause absence seizures?
A study published last year in the journal Neurology found no evidence that taking ADHD medication increased seizure risk in people with and without epilepsy. The findings were based on data from more than 800,000 people in the United States.
What happens if absence seizures go untreated?
Absence seizures are a type of epilepsy. They aren’t normally harmful, and most children grow out of them by puberty. But, you should talk to your child’s pediatrician because, untreated, they can affect your child’s life and learning.”
What common childhood disorder is mistaken for a petit mal seizure?
Childhood absence epilepsy is distinct from partial epilepsy and is often misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD. It is one of the most common types of pediatric seizure. Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), a syndrome that occurs in 1 out of 1000 children, is one of the most common types of early childhood (first decade) seizures.
How do you tell if you’ve had an absence seizure?
What are the symptoms of absence seizures?
- Being very still.
- Smacking the lips or making a chewing motion with the mouth.
- Fluttering the eyelids.
- Stopping activity (suddenly not talking or moving)
- Suddenly returning to activity when the seizure ends.
What can mimic an absence seizure?
Staring and daydreaming are sometimes confused for an absence seizure. A child may appear to be staring off into space and at first doesn’t respond to his name. Probably that child is simply concentrating or thinking about another place or time.
Does Adderall cause seizures?
Adderall side effects range from common, mild issues such as loss of appetite, nausea and insomnia to more serious but rare issues such as seizures, heart attack and psychiatric disorders.
Do stimulants cause seizures?
Stimulants including methylphenidate and mixed amphetamine salts are the first-line therapy for childhood ADHD; however, stimulants may have a potential to lower seizure threshold and increase the risk of uncontrolled or breakthrough seizures (Stevens et al. 2013).
Do stimulants help with seizures?
Stimulants are an effective treatment frequently prescribed for attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but they commonly are believed to lower the threshold for seizures.
Do absence seizures affect the brain?
While absence seizures occur in the brain, they don’t cause brain damage. Absence seizures won’t have any effect on intelligence in most children. Some children may experience learning difficulties because of the lapses in consciousness.
Can you be aware During an absence seizure?
When people have absence seizures, they are not aware of what is happening around them. For example, they will not notice if someone tries to speak to them during a seizure. If a person is speaking when their seizure begins, they will stop talking, often in the middle of a sentence.
Are absence seizures genetic?
Absence seizures usually begin between the ages of 4 and 8 years old. The cause is usually genetic. However, most children with CAE do not have abnormal results on testing for specific epilepsy genes.
Why does my child keep zoning out?
Most high school children occasionally zone out in class because they are either tired or bored. But when your child chronically daydreams, this could indicate she is struggling with attention skills. Attention is one of our executive functions: the set of skills that let us execute daily tasks.
What happens if absence seizures go untreated in adults?
Untreated Absence Seizures Leads to Sudden Death.
Can you outgrow absence seizures?
About 65% of children with childhood absence epilepsy do outgrow their seizures and are able to stop taking medication. The chance that the seizures will be outgrown is lower in those who have: learning problems. a history of absence status epilepticus.
What is a staring spell?
They are caused by a temporary spark of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. During the seizure, the child will stop what she’s doing and stare ahead. She may stay still during the event, or make chewing or smacking noises with her mouth.
What is LGS syndrome?
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a type of epilepsy. Patients with LGS experience many different types of seizures including: Tonic – stiffening of the body. Atonic – temporary loss of muscle tone and consciousness, causing the patient to fall.
What is Pnes?
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) don’t have a physical cause. They aren’t caused by epilepsy. But people with epilepsy also may have PNES. People who have a lot of stress, mental illness, or emotional trauma may be more likely to have PNES.
Can ADHD cause seizures in adults?
Seizure frequency is positively associated with a diagnosis of ADHD,41 and symptoms of hyperactivity are associated with intractable epilepsy. ADHD combined presentation has also been associated with more severe seizure disorders.
Can you have seizures for no reason?
Anything that interrupts the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain can cause a seizure. This includes a high fever, high or low blood sugar, alcohol or drug withdrawal, or a brain concussion. But when a person has 2 or more seizures with no known cause, this is diagnosed as epilepsy.
Can dextroamphetamine cause seizures?
Children who take Dexedrine sometimes may experience a temporary slowing in their rate of growth. If you experience major side effects, report them to your doctor immediately and stop using the medication. Major side effects can include seizures, blurred vision, hypertension, and stroke.
Can you take Adderall with seizure medication?
Seizures. Taking Adderall can lower the seizure threshold. If a person has a seizure while taking Adderall, the doctor will stop the treatment immediately.
Does Wellbutrin cause seizures?
Seizures: Bupropion is associated with seizures in approximately 0.4% (4/1,000) of patients treated at doses up to 450 mg/day. This incidence of seizures may exceed that of other marketed antidepressants by as much as 4-fold.
Can Ritalin trigger seizures?
“There is some clinical evidence that Ritalin may lower the convulsive threshold in patients with prior history of seizures…Clinical experience has shown that a small number of patients may experience an increase in seizure frequency when treated with Ritalin.
Is ADHD a disability?
Under both the ADA and another law known as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, ADHD is considered a disability in the United States, but with strict stipulations. For instance, ADHD is considered a protected disability if it is severe and interferes with a person’s ability to work or participate in the public sector.
Can a neurologist diagnose ADHD?
Attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) can be diagnosed by a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a pediatrician or family doctor, a nurse practitioner, a neurologist, a master level counselor, or a social worker.

Graduated from ENSAT (national agronomic school of Toulouse) in plant sciences in 2018, I pursued a CIFRE doctorate under contract with Sun’Agri and INRAE in Avignon between 2019 and 2022. My thesis aimed to study dynamic agrivoltaic systems, in my case in arboriculture. I love to write and share science related Stuff Here on my Website. I am currently continuing at Sun’Agri as an R&D engineer.