1. A violent spasm or series of jerkings of the face, trunk, or extremities. 2. SYN: seizure (2). [L. convulsio, fr. convello, pp. -vulsus, to tear up]
- benign neonatal convulsions a familial, self-limited epilepsy, beginning at 2, 3, or 6 days of age and resolving spontaneously by six months of age; autosomal dominant inheritance.
- clonic c. a c. in which the contractions are intermittent, the muscles alternately contracting and relaxing.
- complex febrile c. a febrile c. that is prolonged (greater than 15 minutes' duration) or is associated with focal neurologic deficits.
- febrile c. a brief seizure, lasting less than 15 minutes, seen in a neurologically normal infant or young child, associated with fever. SYN: febrile seizure.
- immediate posttraumatic c. a c. beginning very soon after injury.
- salaam convulsions SYN: infantile spasm.
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con·vul·sion kən-'vəl-shən n an abnormal violent and involuntary contraction or series of contractions of the muscles often used in pl. <a patient suffering from \convulsions>
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n.
an involuntary contraction of the muscles producing contortion of the body and limbs. Rhythmic convulsions of the limbs are a feature of major epilepsy. febrile convulsion are provoked by fever in otherwise healthy infants and young children.
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con·vul·sion (kən-vulґshən) [L. convulsio, from convellere to pull together] 1. a violent involuntary contraction or series of contractions of the voluntary muscles. 2. seizure (def. 2). convulsive adjMedical dictionary. 2011.