What do you mean by Tonic Seizure?

Tonic seizures cause stiffening and contraction of the muscles usually in the legs, arms and back. Without clonic seizure, tonic seizures occur very rarely. It can occur at any age but mostly occur in childhood. It is usually lasts for less than 60 seconds. Tonic seizure involve most part of the brain generally both sides of the brain. In this muscle tone of patient is increased to greater extend and stiffening movements starts. It is usually occur during sleep. Patient may be pushed backward, forward or may fall during seizure. Patient who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome also have tonic seizures. Tonic seizure is longer than myoclonic seizures sometimes it ends with clonic phase.

Types of Tonic Seizure

Depending on contraction of muscles tonic seizure is divided into four types

1. Axial tonic seizures
2. Tonic axorhizomelic seizures
3. Global tonic seizures
4. Asymmetric tonic seizures

What are the sign and symptoms of tonic seizure?

• Patients may sometimes become unconscious and fall down so high risk of injury is possible.
• Muscles in the body suddenly contract and the whole body stiffens.
• Difficulty in breathing or it may stop because chest muscle also stiffened.
• Child may become blue.
• After seizure many patients may experience tiredness, confusion and headache which are called as postictal symptoms.
  

Diagnosis for Tonic Seizure

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is useful in diagnosis of tonic seizure. EEG pattern will change if child have tonic seizure that's why video EEG is mostly used.

How to get rid of tonic seizure?

Self care should be done at home when tonic seizure occur which involves following things

• Remove object or glasses from child which may lead to injury.
• When child is falling help them to lie down safely.
• Call 911 if child stop breathing for more than one minute.
• Start mouth to mouth breathing (CRP) if breathing stops for more than one minute.
• Sodium valproate, levetiracetam, clobazam, lamotrigine, clonazepamand topiramate may show effectiveness but reaction to treatment is not good at all time.
• Controlling tonic seizure in patients having Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is very difficult task.

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