What is an atypical absence seizure?

What is an atypical absence seizure?

Healthcare providers define absence seizures as typical or atypical. Atypical seizures are recognized by their own unique EEG pattern and can occur at any age. This seizure type usually starts and ends more slowly and lasts longer (20 seconds or more) than typical absence seizures. Atypical absence seizures also usually cause more muscle movement in a person, such as smacking lips or chewing movements, more eye blinking and rubbing fingers together or other hand motions. Atypical absence seizures usually occur with other seizure types and more often affect children who have a learning disability and severe epilepsy.