The epileptic seizures which can be observed in infants with West syndrome fall into three categories, collectively known as infantile spasms. Typically, the following triad of attack types appears; while the three types usually appear simultaneously, they also can occur independently of each other:

- "Lightning attacks": Sudden, severe myoclonic convulsions of the entire body or several parts of the body in split seconds, and the legs in particular are bent (flexor muscle convulsions here are generally more severe than extensor ones).

- "Nodding attacks": Convulsions of the throat and neck flexor muscles, during which the chin is fitfully jerked towards the breast or the head is drawn inward.

- "Salaam or jackknife attacks": a flexor spasm with rapid bending of the head and torso forward and simultaneous raising and bending of the arms while partially drawing the hands together in front of the chest and/or flailing. If one imagined this act in slow motion, it would appear similar to the Muslim ceremonial greeting (Salaam), from which this type of attack derives its name.

Ohtahara syndrome is rare and the earliest-appearing age-related epileptic encephalopathy, with seizure onset occurring within the first three months of life, and often in the first ten days. Many, but not all, cases of OS evolve into other seizure disorders, namely West syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

The primary outward manifestation of OS is seizures, usually presenting as tonic seizures (a generalized seizure involving a sudden stiffening of the limbs). Other seizure types that may occur include partial seizures, clusters of infantile spasms, and, rarely, myoclonic seizures. In addition to seizures, children with OS exhibit profound mental and physical retardation.

Clinically, OS is characterized by a "burst suppression" pattern on an EEG. This pattern involves high voltage spike wave discharge followed by little brain wave activity.

It is named for the Japanese neurologist Shunsuke Ohtahara (1930–2013), who identified it in 1976.

Epileptic spasms, also known as infantile spasms, juvenile spasms, or West syndrome is an uncommon-to-rare epileptic disorder in infants, children and adults. It is named after the English physician, William James West (1793–1848), who first described it in an article published in The Lancet in 1841. The original case actually described his own son, James Edwin West (1840–1860). Other names for it are "generalized flexion epilepsy", "infantile epileptic encephalopathy", "infantile myoclonic encephalopathy", "jackknife convulsions", "massive myoclonia" and "Salaam spasms". The term "infantile spasms" can be used to describe the specific seizure manifestation in the syndrome, but is also used as a synonym for the syndrome itself. West syndrome in modern usage is the triad of infantile spasms, a pathognomonic EEG pattern (called hypsarrhythmia), and developmental regression – although the international definition requires only two out of these three elements.

The syndrome is age-related, generally occurring between the third and the twelfth month, generally manifesting around the fifth month. There are various causes. The syndrome is often caused by an organic brain dysfunction whose origins may be prenatal, perinatal (caused during birth) or postnatal.

FIRES seizures are non-focal - there is no specified starting or stopping point - making brain surgery impossible. These seizures damage cognitive abilities of the brain such as memory or sensory abilities. This can result in learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, memory issues, sensory changes, inability to move, and death. Children continue to have seizures throughout their lives.

Signs and symptoms of CBPS typically appear in infancy or at birth, but can appear later in childhood. These include facial diplegia (paralysis on both sides), facial muscle spasms, pseudobulbar palsy, dysarthria (difficulty speaking), difficulty chewing, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), epilepsy, and intellectual disability. Epileptic seizures in individuals with CBPS are different between individuals and can vary between episodes.

The age of onset of seizures is typically between three and five, though onset can occur at an earlier or later age. The syndrome shows clear parallels to West syndrome, enough to suggest a connection.

Daily multiple seizures are typical in LGS. Also typical is the broad range of seizures that can occur, larger than that of any other epileptic syndrome. The most frequently occurring seizure type is tonic seizures, which are often nocturnal (90%); the second most frequent are myoclonic seizures, which often occur when the person is over-tired.

Atonic, atypical absence, tonic, complex partial, focalized and tonic–clonic seizures are also common. Additionally, about half of patients will have status epilepticus, usually the nonconvulsive type, which is characterized by dizziness, apathy, and unresponsiveness. The seizures can cause sudden falling (or spasms in tonic, atonic and myoclonic episodes) and/or loss of balance, which is why patients often wear a helmet to prevent head injury.

In addition to daily multiple seizures of various types, children with LGS frequently have arrested/slowed psycho-motor development and behavior disorders.

The syndrome is also characterized by an (between-seizures) EEG featuring slow spike-wave complexes.

Benign occipital epilepsy of childhood (BOEC) is an idiopathic localization-related epilepsy and consists of an evolving group of syndromes. Most authorities include two subtypes, an early subtype with onset between three and five years, and a late onset between seven and 10 years. Seizures in BOEC usually feature visual symptoms such as scotoma or fortifications (brightly colored spots or lines) or amaurosis (blindness or impairment of vision). Convulsions involving one half the body, hemiconvulsions, or forced eye deviation or head turning are common. Younger patients typically experience symptoms similar to migraine with nausea and headache, and older patients typically complain of more visual symptoms. The EEG in BOEC shows spikes recorded from the occipital (back of head) regions. The EEG and genetic pattern suggest an autosomal dominant transmission as described by Ruben Kuzniecky, et al. Lately, a group of epilepsies termed Panayiotopoulos syndrome that share some clinical features of BOEC but have a wider variety of EEG findings are classified by some as BOEC.

Ohtahara syndrome (OS), also known as early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with burst-suppression (EIEE), is a progressive epileptic encephalopathy. The syndrome is outwardly characterized by tonic spasms and partial seizures, and receives its more elaborate name from the pattern of burst activity on an electroencephalogram (EEG). It is an extremely debilitating progressive neurological disorder, involving intractable seizures and severe mental retardation. No single cause has been identified, although in many cases structural brain damage is present.

Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is an idiopathic generalized epilepsy that affects children between the ages of 4 and 12 years of age, although peak onset is around five to six years old. These patients have recurrent absence seizures, brief episodes of unresponsive staring, sometimes with minor motor features such as eye blinking or subtle chewing. The EEG finding in CAE is generalized 3 Hz spike and wave discharges. Some go on to develop generalized tonic-clonic seizures. This condition carries a good prognosis because children do not usually show cognitive decline or neurological deficits, and the seizures in the majority cease spontaneously with ongoing maturation.

Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a childhood-onset epilepsy that most often appears between the second and sixth year of life. LGS is characterized by a triad of signs including frequent seizures of multiple types, an abnormal EEG pattern of less than 2.5 Hz slow spike wave activity, and moderate to severe intellectual impairment.

The hallmark characteristic of PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy is early-onset cluster seizures that often cause cyanotic spells, which start in infancy or early childhood. The onset of the first cluster of seizures usually coincides with a fever (febrile seizures), however subsequent seizures may be febrile or afebrile. The seizure clusters are generally brief seizures, lasting 1–5 minutes, often accompanied by fearful screaming observed in 63% of girls. These cluster seizures can occur more than 10 times a day over several days, with varying amounts of time between seizure clusters.

Over time, children with PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy tend to exhibit multiple seizure types, including focal, generalized tonic-clonic, tonic, atonic, myclonus, and absence seizures. In a small study of 35 female patients with PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy, rare episodes of status epilepticus occurred in about 30% of patients in the early course of the disorder.

In PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy, the seizures are often refractory to treatment, especially in infancy and childhood. Additionally, seizures are usually characterized by persistence of cluster seizures, with variable frequency. In a study of 35 female patients with PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy, approximately 30% had become seizure free in the girl's childhood (mean age of 12 years), yet some continued into adulthood. In the same study, a few patients still had recurrent cluster seizures that evolved into status epilepticus in childhood or early adolescence.

Beyond early-onset and treatment-resistant cluster seizures, PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy is usually, but not always, associated with cognitive and sensory impairment of varying degrees, and psychiatric and behavioral problems. It is estimated that up to 60 to 75% of the females have cognitive deficits, ranging from mild to severe intellectual disability, which do not appear to be related to frequency or severity of seizures. Development over the course of a female patients’ childhood can follow one of three courses: delays from birth that persist into adulthood, normal development and then regression, or normal intellectual development. It is not yet clear why some people experience delayed intellectual growth and others regress with epilepsy.

From the University of Melbourne study, two-thirds of PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy patients have borderline intellectual functioning or intellectual disability, while one third have normal intelligence. A connection to depression, autism, obsessive and aggressive behaviors and other disorders has been observed in PCDH19 gene-related epilepsy. Approximately 40-60% of girls diagnosed with a PCDH19 mutation are on the autism spectrum.

Many of those with PCDH19 gene mutations also exhibit behavioral and psychological problems – including ADHD, aggression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety. Other neurological abnormalities may present, including sleep disturbances, ictal apnea, motor deficits, hypotonia, language delay, sensory integration problems and dysautonomia.

The specific and familial association of BIFE and PKC defines a novel clinical entity : the infantile convulsions and choreoathetosis syndrome. The first observation was made in four families where children were affected with nonfebrile convulsions at age 3–12 months.Partial epileptic seizures started with a psychomotor arrest and a deviation of the head and eyes to one side, followed inconstantly by unilateral jerks.In some cases, seizures generalized secondarily. None of the interictal electroencephalograms showed epileptiform abnormalities, and magnetic-resonance imaging were normal. These convulsions had a favorable outcome. At 5–8 years of age affected children developed abnormal movements. They presented with twisting movements of the hands of a reptilian type when stressed or embarrassed. They also developed jerky movements of the legs after running. Initially, abnormal movements were intermediate in speed between quick and slow, typical of paroxysmal choreoathetosis. Combinations of abnormal movements involving the arms, legs, trunk and occasionally the head were observed. The attacks lasted only a few minutes, occurring with a frequency of 5-30 episodes per day and were not accompanied by unconsciousness. In all patients, abnormal movements disappeared at 25–30 years of age without any treatment. Since the first report similar clinical presentations have been published which confirm the specificity of the ICCA syndrome.

Benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE), also known as benign familial infantile seizures (BFIS) or benign familial infantile convulsions (BFIC) is an epilepsy syndrome. Affected children, who have no other health or developmental problems, develop seizures during infancy. These seizures have focal origin within the brain but may then spread to become generalised seizures. The seizures may occur several times a day, often grouped in clusters over one to three days followed by a gap of one to three months. Treatment with anticonvulsant drugs is not necessary but they are often prescribed and are effective at controlling the seizures. This form of epilepsy resolves after one or two years, and appears to be completely benign. The EEG of these children, between seizures, is normal. The brain appears normal on MRI scan.

A family history of epilepsy in infancy distinguishes this syndrome from the non-familial classification (see benign infantile epilepsy), though the latter may be simply sporadic cases of the same genetic mutations. The condition is inherited with an autosomal dominant transmission. There are several genes responsible for this syndrome, on chromosomes 2, 16 and 19. It is generally described as idiopathic, meaning that no other neurological condition is associated with it or causes it. However, there are some forms that are linked to neurological conditions. One variant known as infantile convulsions and choreoathetosis (ICCA) forms an association between BFIE and paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis and has been linked to the PRRT2 gene on chromosome 16. An association with some forms of familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) has also been found. Benign familial infantile epilepsy is not genetically related to benign familial neonatal epilepsy (BFNE), which occurs in neonates. However, a variation with seizure onset between two days and seven months called "benign familial neonatal–infantile seizures" (BFNIS) has been described, which is due to a mutation in the SCN2A gene.

Myoclonic jerks that are not epileptic may be due to a nervous system disorder or other metabolic abnormalities that may arise in renal (e.g. hyperuraemia) and liver failure (e.g. high ammonia states).

Several disorders may appear similar to CBPS and need to be distinguished in the process of diagnosing CBPS. These include pachygyria, double cortex syndrome, and lissencephaly, all of which are classified along with CBPS as neuronal migration disorders. Diagnostic tests for CBPS include electroencephalograms, CT scanning, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a form of epilepsy that affects children three to fifteen years old. A healthy child that may have been ill in the last few days or with a lingering fever goes into a state of continuous seizures. The seizures are resistant to seizure medications and treatments, though barbiturates may be administered. Medical diagnostic tests may initially return no clear diagnosis and may not detect any obvious swelling on the brain. The syndrome is very rare: it may only affect 1 in 1,000,000 children.

Myoclonus can be described as brief jerks of the body; it can involve any part of the body, but it is mostly seen in limbs or facial muscles. The jerks are usually involuntary and can lead to falls. EEG is used to read brain wave activity. Spike activity produced from the brain is usually correlated with brief jerks seen on EMG or excessive muscle artifact. They usually occur without detectable loss of consciousness and may be generalized, regional or focal on the EEG tracing. Myclonus jerks can be epileptic or not epileptic. Epileptic myoclonus is an elementary electroclinical manifestation of epilepsy involving descending neurons, whose spatial (spread) or temporal (self-sustained repetition) amplification can trigger overt epileptic activity.

Early myoclonic encephalopathy (EME) is an epilepsy syndrome where myoclonic seizures develop in the neonatal period. After several months, the seizure pattern may develop to infantile spasms (West syndrome). Various genetic and metabolic disorders are responsible. The seizures are resistant to treatment. The neurology is very abnormal and patients often do not live beyond one year.

Patients diagnosed with porencephaly display a variety of symptoms, from mild to severe effects on the patient. Patients with severe cases of porencephaly suffer epileptic seizures and developmental delays, whereas patients with a mild case of porencephaly display little to no seizures and healthy neurodevelopment. Infants with extensive defects show symptoms of the disorder shortly after birth, and the diagnosis is usually made before the age of 1.

The following text lists out common signs and symptoms of porencephaly in affected individuals along with a short description of certain terminologies.

Typical symptoms of PRES, listed according to prevalence, include: altered mental status (encephalopathy), seizure, and headache. Less commonly there may be visual disturbances, focal neurologic signs, and status epilepticus.

Infantile convulsions and choreoathetosis (ICCA) syndrome is a neurological genetic disorder with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. It is characterized by the association of benign familial infantile epilepsy (BIFE) at age 3–12 months and later in life with paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis. The ICCA syndrome was first reported in 1997 in four French families from north-western France and provided the first genetic evidence for common mechanisms shared by benign infantile seizures and paroxysmal dyskinesia. The epileptic origin of PKC has long been a matter of debates and PD have been classified as reflex epilepsies.Indeed, attacks of PKC and epileptic seizures have several characteristics in common, they both are paroxysmal in presentation with a tendency to spontaneous remission, and a subset of PKC responds well to anticonvulsants. This genetic disease has been mapped to chromosome 16p-q12. More than 30 families with the clinical characteristics of ICCA syndrome have been described worldwide so far.

The most common type (60%) of seizures are convulsive. Of these, one-third begin as generalized seizures from the start, affecting both hemispheres of the brain. Two-thirds begin as focal seizures (which affect one hemisphere of the brain) which may then progress to generalized seizures. The remaining 40% of seizures are non-convulsive. An example of this type is the absence seizure, which presents as a decreased level of consciousness and usually lasts about 10 seconds.

Focal seizures are often preceded by certain experiences, known as auras. They include sensory (visual, hearing, or smell), psychic, autonomic, and motor phenomena. Jerking activity may start in a specific muscle group and spread to surrounding muscle groups in which case it is known as a Jacksonian march. Automatisms may occur, which are non-consciously-generated activities and mostly simple repetitive movements like smacking of the lips or more complex activities such as attempts to pick up something.

There are six main types of generalized seizures: tonic-clonic, tonic, clonic, myoclonic, absence, and atonic seizures. They all involve loss of consciousness and typically happen without warning.

Tonic-clonic seizures occur with a contraction of the limbs followed by their extension along with arching of the back which lasts 10–30 seconds (the tonic phase). A cry may be heard due to contraction of the chest muscles, followed by a shaking of the limbs in unison (clonic phase). Tonic seizures produce constant contractions of the muscles. A person often turns blue as breathing is stopped. In clonic seizures there is shaking of the limbs in unison. After the shaking has stopped it may take 10–30 minutes for the person to return to normal; this period is called the "postictal state" or "postictal phase." Loss of bowel or bladder control may occur during a seizure. The tongue may be bitten at either the tip or on the sides during a seizure. In tonic-clonic seizure, bites to the sides are more common. Tongue bites are also relatively common in psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.

Myoclonic seizures involve spasms of muscles in either a few areas or all over. Absence seizures can be subtle with only a slight turn of the head or eye blinking. The person does not fall over and returns to normal right after it ends. Atonic seizures involve the loss of muscle activity for greater than one second. This typically occurs on both sides of the body.

About 6% of those with epilepsy have seizures that are often triggered by specific events and are known as reflex seizures. Those with reflex epilepsy have seizures that are only triggered by specific stimuli. Common triggers include flashing lights and sudden noises. In certain types of epilepsy, seizures happen more often during sleep, and in other types they occur almost only when sleeping.

After the active portion of a seizure (the ictal state) there is typically a period of recovery during which there is confusion, referred to as the postictal period before a normal level of consciousness returns. It usually lasts 3 to 15 minutes but may last for hours. Other common symptoms include feeling tired, headache, difficulty speaking, and abnormal behavior. Psychosis after a seizure is relatively common, occurring in 6–10% of people. Often people do not remember what happened during this time. Localized weakness, known as Todd's paralysis, may also occur after a focal seizure. When it occurs it typically lasts for seconds to minutes but may rarely last for a day or two.

Generalized epilepsy, also known as primary generalized epilepsy or idiopathic epilepsy, is a form of epilepsy characterised by generalised seizures with no apparent cause. Generalized seizures, as opposed to focal seizures, are a type of seizure that impairs consciousness and distorts the electrical activity of the whole or a larger portion of the brain (which can be seen, for example, on electroencephalography, EEG).

Generalized epilepsy is "primary" because the epilepsy is the originally diagnosed condition itself, as opposed to "secondary" epilepsy, which occurs as a symptom of a diagnosed condition.