Kali, an 8-year-old girl, sees her primary care physician for her yearly checkup. Her mother notes that Kali sometimes stares blankly into space or blinks rapidly, becoming unaware of her surroundings. Tests including an EEG show abnormal brain wave patterns during these episodes. The doctor diagnoses Kali with epilepsy based on her symptoms and family history of the condition. Absence seizures, one type of generalized seizure common in children, involve brief periods of staring and unresponsiveness. Antiepileptic medications help control seizures by modifying neurotransmitter activity in the brain.