Breath-holding spells in children are usually not dangerous and can be caused by neurological or unconscious reactions to trauma or upset. A doctor should evaluate the child to rule out any underlying medical problems, and parents can take steps to avoid triggers and manage the behavior without accidentally reinforcing it.
An apnea spell is an episode in which a healthy child briefly stops breathing and loses consciousness. This usually happens in response to a painful, upsetting, or surprising situation. For parents, breath-holding spells can be scary, but they’re usually not dangerous, and treatment generally focuses on trying to stop them from happening. It’s recommended that a doctor examine your child to confirm that the problem isn’t an underlying medical problem such as asthma or allergies. In most cases, children should stop experimenting with such spells around the age of eight.
In so-called “pale” periods of apnea, the problem is neurological in origin and occurs due to stimulation of the vagus nerve, a key nerve responsible for regulating heart rate and some other bodily functions. This usually happens because a child experiences sudden, sharp pain, such as from a fall or a broken limb. The child turns pale, stops breathing, passes out, and then recovers. This may only happen once in response to an extreme situation and never again.
Spells of cyanotic apnea occur as a result of an unconscious reaction to a trauma or upset. The baby may scream or cry and then stop breathing, becoming bluish and stiff. Some children experience what appear to be seizures before recovering. After your baby is breathing again, the skin should return to its more natural color. People around the child may be concerned, but children usually suffer no ill effects from the breath holding spell.
A doctor may evaluate the patient to look for any medical problems and may order an EEG study if the child experiences seizures. Once the doctor determines that the breath holding spell is not a sign of a more serious problem, she can advise parents on some steps to take. The link between apnea spells and trauma may lead a doctor to suggest parents avoid exposing their child to scary television shows and stories and having intense, heated conversations in another room. Avoiding obvious traumatic triggers known to cause a freediving spell in the past can also be helpful, as can sending the child to psychotherapy for assistance in managing the trauma.
One risk with managing freediving spells is accidental reinforcement of the behavior, where children may learn to avoid punishment and consequences for their actions by holding their breath until they pass out. Parents naturally go from angry to concerned when a child experiences a breath holding spell, and it’s important to make sure the child still gets punishment if they were doing something wrong, even if the nature of the punishment needs to be changed to lessen it as traumatic.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
