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How is breath-holding diagnosed?

To diagnose breath-holding, your child may undergo a thorough medical and physical examination to ensure they do not have any underlying medical problems such as a heart condition. Your doctor may ask you about the skin colour your child has during breath-holding spells, changes in body tone, how often the episodes occur, how long the child is unconscious for, and the events that precede and follow the spells. For more frequent episodes, laboratory tests may include electrocardiography, to assess heart function or electroencephalography, and to examine brain activity. your doctor may order blood tests to rule out iron-deficiency anaemia.

FAQ Frequently asked questions

What is breath-holding?

A breath-holding spell is a transient episode where a toddler turns blue or pale, and appears to be holding their breath.

What are the symptoms of breath-holding?

During a breath-holding spell, a child may: turn blue or become pale; lose consciousness; stop breathing; have a strained expression as if they are crying, although they will make no sound; become limp; faint; sweat; have muscle twitching or body …

What causes breath-holding?

The cause of breath-holding spells is not known; however, most children with breath-holding spells have lower levels of iron in their blood. The significance of this is not known.

How is breath-holding treated?

During a breath-holding spell: lie the child on their side and monitor them; check their mouths to ensure they are not choking on an object or food; do not shake them; do not put anything in their mouth or splash water on them, and; keep their arms, legs and …

Can breath-holding be cured?

Most children will grow out of their breath-holding spells by the time they are 6 years old.

Can breath-holding be prevented?

Although they cannot be prevented, the occurrence of breath-holding spells may follow a pattern, which may allow you to distract your child before they hold their breath. You may also be able to work with your doctor to come up with better coping strategies …

What is the outlook for breath-holding?

Most children will not experience any long-term harm from breath-holding spells and will grow out of these episodes by the time they reach 6 years of age. The long-term effects for pallid breath-holding spells are isolated to an increased risk of …

Is breath-holding serious?

Most cases of breath-holding aren't associated with any short-term or long-term harm for the child.

How common is breath-holding?

It is estimated that around 5% of children aged between 6 months and 6 years experience breath-holding spells. Boys and girls are affected equally.

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About this article

Author: Dr Idan Ben-Barak PhD, MSc, BSc (Med)
First answered: 13 Oct 2014
Last reviewed: 18 May 2018
Rating: 4.3 out of 5
Votes: 607 (Click smiley face below to rate)
Category: Childhood immunisations

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