Skip to main content

Epilepsy: Atonic Seizures

Overview

Media Gallery(1 video)

An atonic epileptic, Opens dialog seizure is a sudden loss of muscle tone in the muscles that hold the body and head upright.

  • The seizure occurs without warning and usually causes the person to fall down.
  • Some atonic seizures may be more limited, only causing the person's head to drop for a moment.

Atonic seizures are fairly uncommon and occur mostly in people with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. This is a severe form of generalized epilepsy that begins in early childhood. (Children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome may also have tonic seizures.)

People who have atonic or tonic seizures are likely to be injured when they fall. Children may have to wear helmets and restrict their activities to prevent serious injury.

Current as of: December 3, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Ignite Healthwise, LLC education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

 

PeaceHealth endeavors to provide comprehensive health care information, however some topics in this database describe services and procedures not offered by our providers or within our facilities because they do not comply with, nor are they condoned by, the ethics policies of our organization.