Lexic.us

Definition of Petit mal

1. Noun. Epilepsy characterized by paroxysmal attacks of brief clouding of consciousness (and possibly other abnormalities). "She has been suffering from petit mal since childhood"

2. Noun. A seizure of short duration characterized by momentary unconsciousness and local muscle spasms or twitching. "The girl was frightened by her first petit mal"

Definition of Petit mal

1. Noun. A form of epilepsy where the seizures are characterized as minor, the person becomes vacant or unaware, but not involving spasms and unconsciousness. These seizures are usually brief, lasting up to 30 seconds, and may include twitching. A formal medical term would be absence seizures. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Medical Definition of Petit mal

1. A type of seizure (absence seizures) that in contrast to the grand mal seizure, are noted for their brevity and for the degree of loss of awareness (brief staring spell) accompanied by minimal motor manifestations. A common form of childhood epilepsy. (06 Oct 1997)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Petit Mal

petioled petioles petiolulate petiolule petiolules petiolus petiolus epiglottidis petit petit bourgeois petit dejeuner

petit four petit juries petit juror petit jury petit larceny petit mal (current term) petit mal epilepsy petit mal seizure petit point petit pois

petite petite bourgeoisie petite marmite petite mutant petitely petiteness petitenesses petites petitgrain petitio

Literary usage of Petit mal

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1908)
"RAPIDLY recurring nocturnal petit mal is a rare form of sleep epilepsy which ... The attacks of nocturnal petit mal invariably occur while the patient ..."

2. Handbook of Severe Disability: A Text for Rehabilitation Counselors, Other edited by Walter C. Stolov, Michael R. Clowers (2000)
"petit mal or absence seizures do not arise from a focus on the surface of the brain, but rather arise deep within the core of the brain They are ..."

3. Philadelphia Medical Times (1882)
"Dr. EC Seguin (New York Medical Record, August 13, 1881) says, in considering the diagnosis of petit mal, consisting of epileptic vertigo (so called), ..."

4. Epilepsy-- its symptoms, treatment, and relation to other chronic convulsive by John Russell Reynolds (1861)
"The first and second forms may be termed, with the French authors, "le petit mal," or epilepsia mitior; the third form "le haut mal," or epilepsia gravior; ..."

5. Organic and Functional Nervous Diseases: A Text-book of Neurology by Moses Allen Starr (1913)
"Inasmuch as peculiar mental states often follow attacks of both petit mal and grand mal, it has been held by some authors that the ..."

6. Medical Diagnosis for the Student and Practitioner by Charles Lyman Greene (1917)
"This is Uie reverse of petit mal, consciousness being retained early in, or throughout, the attack and convulsive seizures present. ..."

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