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Glite Dictionary
complex absence

complex absence

9.4
A short seizure that makes you lose awareness and causes muscle weakness or sudden movements
  • noun
  • /ˈkɒmplɛks ˈæbsəns/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ausencia compleja
  • Children with complex absences may experience sudden muscle weakness in addition to impaired awareness.

Examples

  • The doctor diagnosed her with a complex absence after observing the involuntary movements during her episode.

  • Treatment for a complex absence may involve adjusting anti-seizure medication to control the additional symptoms.

  • A complex absence can last for several minutes.

  • Patients with complex absences may experience muscle weakness.

  • The doctor diagnosed her with a complex absence after observing the additional symptoms during her seizure.

  • Children with complex absences often show signs of impaired consciousness and may have involuntary movements.

  • Treatment for a complex absence involves managing the accompanying symptoms like muscle weakness.

Synonyms

absence
vscomplex absence
  • Specialized
5 9.3

A short time when a person stares blankly, does not respond, and sometimes makes small movements

adds muscle weakness, involuntary movements, or blood vessel changes to the basic stare
absence seizure
vscomplex absence
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A short, sudden moment when a person stares blankly and does not respond, often with blinking or twitching

includes extra muscle weakness, involuntary movements, or vascular changes during the episode

How Severe

tonic epilepsy
  • Specialized
6.9
focal seizure
  • Specialized
1 5.6
complex absence
  • Specialized
9.4
absence seizure
  • Specialized
1 7.5
simple absence
  • Specialized
7.5

Surface Forms

complex absence singular
complex absences plural

Morphology

complex + absence

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition where 'complex' modifies 'absence' to indicate a more complicated form of an absence seizure. A B1 learner who knows the medical sense of 'absence' and the meaning of 'complex' can infer that it refers to an absence with additional symptoms, so the overall meaning is compositionally derivable.

Etymology

Complex absence comes from two simple ideas: absence means a short 'blank' when someone seems to lose attention, and complex means there are extra signs like muscle weakness or small involuntary movements. So the name describes a short seizure with reduced awareness plus additional symptoms, and that is why doctors use it for this kind of absence seizure.