X Close Editor

Submitted by: Paula (Baby Help Line)

Title

Comment
Hi Kim, While very scary, the type of breath holding episodes you describe are, if not common, at least common enough to usually be well known among doctors and health nurses. They are also common enough to have a name; Breath Holding Spells (BHS) or Expiratory Apnea. It does look awful, but it isn't dangerous. When they are a few years old - up to five or six years old, they grow out of it. There are two different kinds of BHS, one very common , called Blue spells (cyanotic breath-holding) and one less common called Pale spells (pallid breath holding). Babies can't help doing this, it not a matter of will power or a particular personality, which you can some times read in old sources. As her parent, what you can do is to try to help her not become so upset. You know your child best, but try to find way to console her and calm her down as early as possible. Also, if this doesn't help and she starts holding her breath, you can try blowing air gently in her face. This usually makes babies up to a certain age take a deep breath. If the breath holding spells occur often, you might want to talk to her doctor about it, to get more ideas on ways to help her. But again, don't be scared, it is not dangerous. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chw.edu.au/parents/factsheets/breathj.htm">Here is a link with some more information.</a> Warm wishes, Paula

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

Updating Comments page...

X Close Editor

Submitted by: Carrie Mom to 2 sets of twins

Title

Comment
I have 4 year old twin boys and 1 year old Boy/girl twins my little girl is 15 months and also does this but she does it a couple times a day and passes out each time. We will ignore it per the doctor but after she wakes up usually only a minute later she dont ever remember anything from before the episode she wakes up happy so no worrys.

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

Updating Comments page...

X Close Editor

Submitted by: Priscilla

Title

Comment
Yes, my 16 month old had the same episode once, and it scared me to the point I nearly passed out!!! My husband use to do the same thing, and when I asked my mother in law what she would do, she said she would just leave him be, she's a nurse so she knew it was alright hahaha...I guess its true what they say, well in my case anyways, like father like son!!! But I wanna add a question....my 16 month old just had a temper tantrum and cried for an excessive amount of time, well he finally calmed down and I noticed his eye was bleeding, and now he just has two small red dots on the white of his eye, could this be from a busted vessel from all the pressure his crying created????

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

Updating Comments page...