Navigation
[TITLE]

[MESSAGE]

[BUTTONS]

Popular questions...

Content

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 stiffness; have jerky movements, and; cry.

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 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 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 color your child has during …

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.

Related topics

Diseases & conditions

Childhood immunizations

Childhood immunisations help protect infants and children against a variety of diseases, without them being exposed to the actual diseases. Immunisations include tetanus, polio, measles and chicken pox vaccines. They also help protect friends and family by reducing the rates of these conditions.…
Diseases & conditions

Bullying

Bullying is the use of power by a person or group of people to intentionally cause physical or psychological harm to another person or group of people. It includes humiliating, demeaning or threatening behaviour and can occur anywhere, including at school, home, online or the workplace.…
Diseases & conditions

Dental care for babies and young children

It is recommended that you clean your baby’s teeth daily, as soon as the first teeth appear in their mouth. From an early age, it is important to help children develop good oral hygiene habits.…
Diseases & conditions

Failure to thrive

Failure to thrive (FTT) occurs when an infant or young child consistently fails to grow and gain weight at the rate expected for their age and gender. It may occur as the result of a range of factors or medical conditions.…
Diseases & conditions

Growing pains

Growing pains are a form of recurring limb pain experienced by children. Although they can sometimes be severe and at times alarming for children and parents, they do not indicate or cause any permanent damage and usually do not interfere with a child's normal activities. Typically, they go away on their own.…
Diseases & conditions

Urinary tract infections (UTI) in children

Younger children often have vague symptoms when they have a urinary tract infection (UTI). These include fever, vomiting, poor feeding and irritability. In older children, there may be frequent urination, burning sensations when urinating, fatigue, or abdominal pain. UTIs in children may require prompt treatment with antibiotics to prevent damage to the kidneys.…

About this article

Author: Dr Idan Ben-Barak PhD, MSc, BSc (Med)
First answered: 13 Oct 2014
Last reviewed: 19 May 2018
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Votes: 1215 (Click smiley face below to rate)
Category: Childhood immunizations

×

Content goes in here.