Clinical features of epilepsy are specific to the type of seizure: 

• Tonic seizures: Impairment of consciousness and stiffening
• Clonic seizures: Cause jerking and impairment of consciousness
• Tonic-clonic seizures: Cause stiffening, jerking and impairment of consciousness. Ninety per cent of people with generalised tonic-clonic seizures will achieve seizure control
• Typical absence seizures: Quick onset and offset with no symptoms (e.g. child stares for a few seconds (five to 10) and normally less than 30 seconds). Around 80 per cent of people with childhood absence epilepsy will be in remission by adulthood
• Myoclonic seizures: Brief, shock-like contraction of the limbs, with no impairment of consciousness
• Atonic seizures: Sudden brief attacks of loss of tone, associated with falls and impairment of consciousness.

Many believe epilepsy is triggered by flashing lights but photosensitive epilepsy only occurs in up to three per cent of people with the condition.