What is breath-holding spell?

A breath holding spell is when a child holds their breath, usually after being angry, frustrated, startled, or in pain. Sometimes the breath holding leads to the child passing out. It can be frightening to watch a breath-holding spell, but they aren't harmful and usually last less than a minute.

What causes breath-holding spells?

What causes breath holding? The cause of breath holding is not known. Breath holding is usually involuntary, and is caused by a slowing of the heart rate or changes in your child's usual breathing patterns. Sometimes breath-holding spells are brought on by strong emotions such as anger, fear, pain or frustration.

What happens during a breath-holding spell?

Pallid breath-holding spells: In this type of breath-holding spell, often triggered by a sudden pain or fright, the child turns a pale, grayish color, becomes sweaty or clammy, and loses consciousness. The heart rate slows, and the child's limbs sometimes twitch and the child may urinate on themselves.

When should I be concerned about a holding breath spell?

Your child may stop breathing for up to 1 minute (60 seconds) during a spell. If your child doesn't wake up quickly and start breathing again, call 911 or other emergency services.

How do you treat breath-holding spells?

There are no drugs or other treatments for these spells. Some studies suggest that anemia, or low levels of red blood cells, may be a culprit and that iron supplements may help. But more research is needed. The best thing to do is let your child lie on their side while they're out.

Breath holding Spells - First with Kids - UVM Children's Hospital

Can breath-holding spells cause death?

Serious complications of breath holding spells are rare, but cases of sudden death, prolonged asystole, and status epilepticus have been reported. A detailed history and exam are important to diagnose theses spells and help distinguish from epileptic seizures and other causes of syncope.

Can breath-holding spells be fatal?

A breath holding spell is when a child holds their breath, usually after being angry, frustrated, startled, or in pain. Sometimes the breath holding leads to the child passing out. It can be frightening to watch a breath-holding spell, but they aren't harmful and usually last less than a minute.

Are breath-holding spells seizures?

No. Children with breath-holding spells do not have epilepsy. As breath-holding spells may look like epileptic seizures, the 2 are often confused. Breath-holding spells happen after your child has been frustrated, startled or hurt.

Can breath-holding spells cause brain damage?

The good news is that breath-holding spells usually go away after age 5. They won't cause brain damage or other problems. And they don't make your child more likely to have health problems later in life.

Will a baby cry if they can't breathe?

During breath-holding, your child may: cry and then be silent while holding their breath. open their mouth as if going to cry but make no sound. turn blue or grey.

How long can someone hold their breath?

The longest instance of someone holding their breath without inhaling pure oxygen beforehand is 11 minutes and 34 seconds. However, most people can only safely hold their breath for 1 to 2 minutes. The amount of time you can comfortably and safely hold your breath depends on your specific body and genetics.

Is it normal for my toddler to pass out when crying?

Most children experience cyanotic breath-holding episodes, which are triggered by excessive crying out of anger or frustration. Kids seem to run out of breath on the exhale, turn blue around the lips and then lose consciousness, usually for no longer than 30 seconds.

Can blowing in a baby face hurt them?

Blowing on the face is a common trick. It triggers a reflex to hold the breath for a short moment. That stops the crying, and can also be used when washing the child's face etc. I am not aware of any consequences of this, neither positive nor negative.

Are breath-holding spells normal?

Answer. A breath-holding spell is a benign paroxysmal nonepileptic disorder occurring in healthy children 6 to 48 months of age. The episodes start with a provocation such as emotional upset or minor injury, and might progress to breath holding, cyanosis, and syncope.

What to do if your baby stops breathing while sleeping?

Are breath-holding spells neurological?

No long-term neurological or health issues occur as a consequence of having breath-holding spells in childhood. There is not an increased risk of having epileptic seizures associated with breath-holding spells.

How do I know if my baby is having a seizure?

More pronounced signs may include the baby's arms coming up with a slight head nod and their eyes rolling up. While this type of movement may look like the baby is just startled, spasms may occur for five to ten seconds in a cluster for several minutes when the baby first wakes up or is going to sleep.

What are the 2 types of breath holding syncope events?

These are typically divided into two types: cyanotic and pallid.

How can you tell the difference between a breath-holding spell and a seizure?

Breath-holding attacks can be distinguished from seizures as they are provoked, typically by pain or the child becoming upset. Typically, the child will begin crying and then stop breathing as they breathe out. It may sound like a silent cry or a series of grunts.

Is it OK to make baby sleep on my chest?

It's safe for your baby to nap on your chest as long as you remain awake and aware of the baby. But if you fall asleep too, it raises the risk of injury (or death) to your baby.

How do you get snot out of baby nose without syringe?

Use saline drops or spray

Nasal spray works by thinning out the mucus, allowing the nose to clear out and ease congestion. If you can't run to the store for saline drops or spray, try mixing one cup of warm, filtered water and a ½ teaspoon of salt. Make sure your mixture is completely cooled before using.

Can babies be underwater?

When your baby goes underwater, the soft tissue at the back of their throat (called the larynx) closes to block the entrance to the airway. And it's at its peak in their first 6 months. But this doesn't mean that babies can be suddenly submerged without warning.

How long can a Navy SEAL hold their breath for?

Navy SEALs can hold their breath underwater for two to three minutes or more. Breath-holding drills are typically used to condition a swimmer or diver and to build confidence when going through high-surf conditions at night, said Brandon Webb, a former Navy SEAL and best-selling author of the book “Among Heroes.”

Can Tom Cruise hold his breath for 6 minutes?

Tom Cruise held his breath underwater for six minutes while filming “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” but Winslet beat him by over a minute, holding her breath for seven minutes and 14 seconds while filming an underwater scene for James Cameron's “Avatar 2.”

What is the longest anyone has held their breath?

Without training, we can manage about 90 seconds underwater before needing to take a breath. But on 28 February 2016, Spain's Aleix Segura Vendrell achieved the world record for breath-holding, with a time of 24 minutes. However, he breathed pure oxygen before immersion.