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a) The tonic phase:  There is a cry and loss of consciousness
b) Arms flex up then extend in and remain rigid for a few seconds.
c) The clonic phase: Series of jerking movements take place as muscles contract and relax together. The jerking will slow down and will eventually stop.
d) Place on side to aid breathing and to keep the airway clear.

Can have one symptom Tonic or Clonic, or a mixture of both Tonic-Clonic

Tonic seizures cause stiffening of muscles of the body, generally those in the back, legs, and arms. Clonic seizures cause repeated jerking movements of muscles on both sides of the body. Tonic-clonic seizures cause a mixture of symptoms, including stiffening of the body and repeated jerks of the arms and/or legs as well as loss of consciousness. Tonic-clonic seizures are sometimes referred to by an older term: grand mal seizures.  

A person having a generalized tonic-clonic seizure:  

There are many different types of seizures. People may experience just one type or more than one. The kind of seizure a person has depends on which part and how much of the brain is affected by the electrical disturbance that produces seizures.

Types of Seizures include two broad groups:

Primary Generalized Seizures: affects both sides of the brain

• Tonic-clonic
• Absence

Focal aka Partial Seizures : affects one side of the brain

• Electrical system of the brain malfunctions
• Causes a change in awareness, movements, sensations, and behavior
• More than 30 different types of seizures
• Most common symptom of Epilepsy
• Not necessarily the same as having epilepsy
• Some are barely noticeable while others cause muscle jerks or loss of consciousness
• Can last a few seconds to several minutes

What causes epilepsy?

Disruptions to the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain (much like disruptions in wiring of a complex electrical circuit), when there are imbalances of natural chemicals or neurotransmitters that are important to the signaling among nerve cells, or when there are changes in the membranes of nerve cells. Some of these may develop early in life while others may be acquired later.

Known conditions and events that may lead to epilepsy:

Epilepsy, sometimes referred to as seizure disorder  which is a temporary disturbance in brain function. Seizures happen when the electrical system of the brain malfunctions. Instead of discharging electrical energy in a controlled manner, the brain cells keep firing. The result may be a surge of energy through the brain. Disturbances of nerve cell activity produce symptoms, such as unconsciousness and contractions of the muscles, that vary depending on which part (and how much) of the brain is affected.

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