How long can Todd's paralysis typically last after a seizure?

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Study for the COMAT Emergency Medicine Test. Dive into comprehensive flashcards and multiple choice questions, each featuring hints and explanations. Get prepared to excel in your exam!

Todd's paralysis, a temporary neurological condition characterized by weakness or paralysis following a seizure, can last for varied periods but is typically observed to last anywhere from a few minutes to 36 hours postictally (after the seizure). In most cases, patients recover fully without any residual weakness.

The key factor in identifying the duration of Todd's paralysis lies in its characteristic nature of transient postictal weakness that aligns more closely with the neurological deficits representing the affected area of the brain during the seizure. While symptoms usually resolve within a shorter timeframe, the potential for lasting up to 36 hours reflects the variability in individual cases, particularly among those with more severe or longer seizures.

Other durations proposed in the options, such as 5, 12, or 24 hours, while plausible in certain contexts, do not capture the maximum duration noted in clinical observations and literature regarding Todd's paralysis, which can indeed extend to a full day and a half in rare instances.

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