Child and adolescent psychiatry: inattention versus absence seizures: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Child and adolescent psychiatry: inattention versus absence seizures

Sample item

An 8-year-old is labelled inattentive because of daily spells in which he stares blankly for about ten seconds, with brief eyelid flutter, and then resumes the activity without knowing what happened. Which is the best next step?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. EEG with hyperventilation

Brief unresponsive staring with abrupt onset and offset suggests absence seizures, which mimic inattention, and hyperventilation during EEG provokes the typical 3-per-second spike-wave pattern. Treatment is ethosuximide or valproate.

Option by option

  • A. Wechsler intelligence testing

    Intelligence testing does not address these episodes.

  • B. Start methylphenidate

    Starting a stimulant before excluding epilepsy would treat the wrong condition.

  • C. Conners rating scale before any other test

    A rating scale cannot differentiate seizures from inattention.

  • D. EEG with hyperventilation (correct)

    Correct. EEG with hyperventilation confirms absence epilepsy.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is D, EEG with hyperventilation. Brief unresponsive staring with abrupt onset and offset suggests absence seizures, which mimic inattention, and hyperventilation during EEG provokes the typical 3-per-second spike-wave pattern.

Why is "Wechsler intelligence testing" not the answer?

Intelligence testing does not address these episodes.

Why is "Start methylphenidate" not the answer?

Starting a stimulant before excluding epilepsy would treat the wrong condition.

Why is "Conners rating scale before any other test" not the answer?

A rating scale cannot differentiate seizures from inattention.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Child and adolescent psychiatry: inattention versus absence seizures in Psychiatry. Treatment is ethosuximide or valproate.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Child and adolescent psychiatry: inattention versus absence seizures?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.