A 5-year-old has 20 seconds of staring spells many times a day with a 3 Hz spike-and-wave EEG. What is the diagnosis?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Absence epilepsy

  1. Step 1: Brief staring episodes with 3 Hz spike and wave are classical absence seizures.
Answer
Absence epilepsy.
Why not the others: Complex partial seizures, Febrile seizures and Tics do not fit.

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