Absence seizure or daydreaming?

[SconeRhymesWithPhone]

Hi everyone. I hope this is the right place to post. I have a 6 year old DS in Year 1. He's neurologically typical, as far as we are aware, though is currently undergoing retained reflex therapy.

Yesterday DS's teacher caught me after school to say he had had an "episode" in assembly where he had seemed to zone out for a few seconds. He didn't respond when the teacher tried to talk to him, then suddenly came out of it and seemed frightened and burst into tears.

The teacher asked whether we'd seen him do this before, which we hadn't, but we both agreed to keep an eye at home and school to see whether a pattern was developing.

I've googled absence seizures, and read some threads on here and am not sure whether DS had one or not really. He told me he was feeling very sad in assembly, then realised someone was speaking to him and felt embarrassed and started to cry.

I've made him a GP appointment to see what they say, but I was wondering how absence seizures normally present. Everything I've read suggests that children who have them tend to have lots. And I don't see anything to suggest that coming out of them ends in tears and upset.

Just wondered whether anyone here had experience and could tell me whether it's common only to start with infrequent ones, whether tears at the end are common, and anything else really. DS's account makes it sound like a day dream, but I'm sure his teachers see day dreaming kids all day and something about this gave them cause for concern.

He is very tired at the moment, so it could be that. Also wondering whether it might be his reflexes therapy as his osteopath said it might make him more emotional than normal. Any advice much appreciated as I am very concerned

[youarekiddingme]

My ds has absent episodes like this. He's also had 2 seizures and various other episodes. He is non responsive to vocal or physical stimulus. He also doesn't know they've happened or seem concerned about them.

His is not epileptic. He has had both 20 minute standard and 24 hr ambulatory EEG.

He had one absent episode at 4 that he projectile vomited at the end of.

It may be related to retained reflexes - these are common in sensory processing disorder - and these 'blank outs' can be sensory.

ATM we are just leaving my DS and seeing what occurs. We have been offered a referral to tertiary neurology if needed/wanted.

Hopefully GP will be reassuring. In the meantime if you witness further episodes I'd record them to show GP so they can see what is happening. The neuro told me to do this and to talk to and tap DS too and see if he responds.

[SconeRhymesWithPhone]

Thanks, youarekiddingme. So your DS isn't on medication? I'll definitely record any other seizures that happen, if they're at home. At the moment I'm obsessively watching him and interrupting him while he's watching tv to make sure he's still with it. I probably need to relax a bit! How old is your DS now?

[youarekiddingme]

My DS is 10.

One of the reasons I'm leaving tertiary referral for now is that I felt I was constantly watching. Now I know it's not epilepsy and his MRI are clear I'm less worried.

DS are obvious though. For example he was putting on his seatbelt and just stopped and stared. No response. Then when he gained 'consciousness' he was still holding seatbelt and needed reminding what he was doing. Other times have been mid conversation. He may do it other times but the ones I notice are when he's busy and just stops.

No medication. We think it's related to sensory stuff as he's about to be assessed for asd.

[SconeRhymesWithPhone]

Thanks. DS's one absence happened when he was sitting in a line waiting for assembly to start, so classic situation for daydreaming I would have thought. His description is that he was thinking hard, so I can't tell if he thinks he lost time or not. I'm watching to see whether it happens again, especially mid-action like your example.