A child presents with sho episodes of vacant stare several times a day. The vacant episode begins abruptly and the child remains unresponsive during the episode. There is no associated history of aura or postictal confusion and the child is otherwise normal, The likely diagnosis is

*Sudden, brief lapses of consciousness without loss of postural control.*Consciousness lasts for only seconds, and returns, and there is no postictal confusion.*Bilateral motor signs such as rapid blinking of the eyelids, chewing movements, or small-amplitude, clonic movements of the hands.*Usually in childhood (ages 4-8 years) or early adolescence and the first clue to absence epilepsy is often unexplained "daydreaming" and a decline in school performance recognized by a teacher.*EEG shows generalized, symmetric, 3-Hz spike-and-wave discharge that begins and ends suddenly, superimposed on a normal EEG background.