What is the most common type of seizure in children?

The most common type of seizure in children is the febrile seizure. Febrile seizures typically occur in young children, usually between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, and are triggered by a rapid rise in body temperature, often due to an infection. These seizures are generally not harmful and usually last for only a few minutes.

Febrile seizures can be classified as simple or complex, with simple febrile seizures being the most common, occurring in a generalized manner without focal features. Though they can be alarming to parents, the prognosis is generally good, and most children outgrow them without any long-term effects.

Other types of seizures, such as myoclonic seizures, absence seizures, and grand mal seizures, do occur in children but are less frequent than febrile seizures. Myoclonic seizures involve brief jerking movements, absence seizures are characterized by brief lapses in consciousness, and grand mal seizures (now more commonly referred to as tonic-clonic seizures) involve loss of consciousness and muscle contractions. While important to recognize, these seizure types do not have the same prevalence as febrile seizures in pediatric populations.