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blank, zoning out toddler-hard to explain...

13 replies

Quecwmbers · 15/10/2014 22:48

DD (nearly 2) has been a bit of daydreamer, you know wave you hands in front of her face for no reaction at times.

What happened today scared me. In the car her brother shouted 'look at dd', she was eyes open glassy eyed...hard to explain not the normal eyes going tiredness at all. Or sleeping with eyes open, it was a open eyed stare. It was too blank, I shouted a few times for not a twitch. I caught the kerb doing so and it showed she was stiff, rather than sway she rolled a bit without a change in position. I pulled over, jiggled her leg which was a bit stiff, tapped her face, shouted. She looked dead, but was actually breathing very shallowly. I sat back a second in a bit of a worry, then she just stopped and looked out the window watching the traffic again like it was all she'd been doing. Not tired, responded normally. Even if she went quiet again she'd at least move her eyes to look if I said her name for the rest of the journey. It felt like ages, but it was probably well under a minute.

She did it once before for an extended period, I wrote it off as sleeping with her eyes open at the time but was unnerved. She looked the same again, very open eyes, open mouth, chin up and fixed. Not slumping into sleep. She looks dead for want of a better description. I didn't touch her last time and it was shorter.

Is this just nonsense, or does anyone else have a similar experience? I haven't seen it with my other 3, it's really unnerved me.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Littlefish · 15/10/2014 22:52

There is something called a "petit mal absence seizure". I'll put a link below - have a look and see if it looks familiar.

Petit mal absence

ZakuroFujiwara · 15/10/2014 22:54

Same thought as Littlefish - I had a friend as a child who had a form of epilepsy that presented like this. It's definitely worth getting her checked out.

WerewolfBarMitzvah · 15/10/2014 22:55

Sounds a little like my DB when he was younger. He would just switch off, staring into space for approximately 20 seconds and then come back, with no idea anything had happened.

Turned out it was epilepsy (petit mal) and after a few years of medication, it stopped.

Hopefully your DD's symptoms have a simpler explanation, but might be worth mentioning to a doctor?

3littlefrogs · 15/10/2014 22:56

It does sound like petit mal.
You need to take her to GP.

Quecwmbers · 15/10/2014 23:03

thank you- I hadn't even thought on that track, I will read it.

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BonaDea · 15/10/2014 23:06

Definitely take her to a GP. I had the same thought on epilepsy. Make an appt for tomorrow!!

funambulist · 16/10/2014 08:55

If you can video her whilst it is happening so that you can show the GP what is happening.

FoodieToo · 16/10/2014 13:16

Yes an absence seizure. Hope she is ok. I think many kids grow out of it.
I remember my younger sister having them. The first time we just thought she was playing up. But it was a trance like state and she couldn't hear us.

Hers turned out to be photo sensitive,if she were watching TV and if there were flickering lights etc it could trigger an episode.

woolymum · 20/10/2014 09:43

i thought epilepsy too. Hope she is okay and the drs help

Quecwmbers · 23/10/2014 21:05

GP was great. Thank you everyone.

OP posts:
Littlefish · 23/10/2014 23:01

I'm glad the GP was helpful. Has your dd been referred to the hospital?

Quecwmbers · 24/10/2014 07:03

Yes, not too bad a wait (December)). Listened, took me seriously but calm. Explained when to come back in the mean time, or when to seek immediate help.

I'm feeling ok, looking them up its not too serious. She has development delays, mild cp and hearing loss so it's not the worst we've had suggested.... and she's a delightful happy girl.

OP posts:
Lvr1983 · 18/11/2025 20:52

This post was 2014, I know it’s a long shot but curious how the referral went and also how she’s doing all these years later. I’m experiencing similar with my DS (18 months old) thank you :)

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