There are two common types of epilepsy: petit mal and grand mal.
* Petit mal epileptic attacks may be so slight as to go unnoticed by an observer. The sufferer may appear to drift off, or to daydream. There may be twitching of the facial muscles and other unusual responses, such as chewing with no food in the mouth, or making strange noises. * Grand mal epilepsy is more dramatic and is often accompanied by violent seizures and unconsciousness. There may be a warning before an attack, called an 'aura', which is normally described as an unusual sensation, smell or taste. In grand mal epilepsy, the attack is usually preceded by unconsciousness and the sufferer may become blue in the face with alarming convulsive movements of the muscles. Breathing may stop altogether.
