Some people have types of epilepsy that include tonic-clonic seizures and other seizure types.Children who have generalized onset tonic-clonic seizures are more likely to come off seizure medicine and do well than are children with tonic-clonic seizures that begin in one side of the brain (focal to bilateral).If a child who has had tonic-clonic seizures has epilepsy waves on the EEG or an abnormal exam, the chance of being seizure-free off medicine is only 30%.Children who have had tonic-clonic seizures and have a normal EEG and neurological exam have a 70% chance of being seizure-free without medication.The risk that a person will have more seizures depends a number of things such as whether epilepsy waves or patterns are seen on the EEG (electroencephalogram) or whether the neurological exam is normal.Decisions about coming off medicine must be done with advice from a doctor. Others who are seizure-free for a year or two while taking seizure medicine may be able to come off medicine slowly. When tonic-clonic seizures happen in childhood, some children will outgrow their epilepsy.This type of seizure can affect both children and adults. This is called status epilepticus emergency treatment in a hospital is needed. A seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes, or three seizures in a row without the person coming to between them, is a dangerous condition.A tonic-clonic seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes needs immediate medical help.Afterwards, the person may be sleepy, confused, irritable, or depressed. These seizures generally last 1 to 3 minutes.Consciousness, or a person’s awareness, returns slowly.The person may lose control of their bladder or bowel as the body relaxes.The person’s face may look dusky or a bit blue if they are having trouble breathing or the seizure lasts too long.After a few minutes, the jerking slows and stops.The arms and usually the legs begin to jerk rapidly and rhythmically, bending and relaxing at the elbows, hips, and knees.After the tonic phase comes the clonic phase.If this happens, saliva may look a bit bloody. A person may bite their tongue or inside of their cheek.The person loses consciousness and falls to the floor.Air being forced past the vocal cords causes a cry or groan.Tonic means stiffening, and clonic means rhythmical jerking. This type of seizure (also called a convulsion) is what most people think of when they hear the word 'seizure.' An older term for this type of seizure is 'grand mal.' As implied by the name, they combine the characteristics of tonic and clonic seizures.

Normal vs epilepsy eeg