How Are Absence Seizures Diagnosed?
If a seizure condition such as absence seizures is suspected, the doctor will begin by taking a thorough medical history, including any birth trauma, serious head injury, or infections of the brain such as encephalitis or meningitis. Brain function can be “viewed” with an electroencephalograph, or EEG, which detects the electrochemical relay of information from brain cell to brain cell. EEGs will show characteristic, abnormal patterns during different types of seizures. In addition, X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs of the head can help rule out specific causes of seizures.
