Breath Holding

Breath Holding

Tiny Hearts Education

Breath holding is extremely common in young children and can happen as often as once a day. Often referred to as a spell, it involves your child (usually aged 6 months to 6 years) holding their breath when they’re upset, frightened, hurt or had a minor accident. They will cry, catch their breath, then “hold it” without breathing. It’s not something they do on purpose, more of a reaction and it typically only lasts 30-60 seconds.

Breath holding can be alarming and stressful to parents and anyone involved, but don’t panic; this spell is not harmful to your child and it’ll pass quickly. Try to remain calm and do not shake or force your child to breath; the spell will pass and they will continue to breathe regularly on their own in a matter of seconds.
Blue Spells and Pale Spells

There are two main types of breath holding that can occur in your child; blue or pale spells. While both only last a few seconds, they do have some main differences as outlined below:

Blue Spells

Blue spells, or cyanotic breath holding, are the most common. Although uncomfortable to watch, blue spells do not require any treatment and no long-term damage is done. They can happen when your child has hurt themselves or has become upset or frightened and can be characterised as:

  • Crying or screaming
  • Forcibly breathing
  • Can turn a pale blue colour (usually around their mouth)
  • In extreme cases, can lead to fainting

Pale Spells

Pale or pallid spells are less common than blue spells and are caused by a slow heart rate. No treatment is needed for a pale spell and your child will resume normal breathing in seconds. These spells can be characterised as:

  • Opening of the mouth as if they’re going to cry but nothing comes out
  • Pale or faint lookingJerky arm/leg movements and possibly loss of control with their bowels
  • Sweating and tired when the spell passes

What to Do - During and After

This can be a frightening time but it will pass quickly! A few things you can do during a breath holding spell are:

  • Stay calm! This will pass soonLay your child comfortably on their side for the remainder of the spell
  • Don’t shake your baby, this will not promote breathing
  • Reassure others around you what is happening, how it will pass soon and it is not harmful to your child
  • After a spell, your child may be drowsy and seem disoriented; this is normal. There also may be some residual muscle twitching, although uncommon. Once they've recovered, reassure them that everything is okay and act normally. Don’t make a fuss or punish them.

Remember, breath holding is very common in young children and not harmful. Although distressing to watch, it will be over in a matter of seconds! If you notice your child having frequent spells (multiple in a day) or has a fit lasting longer than a few minutes, consult your doctor.

 

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While Tiny Hearts tries to ensure that the content of this blog is accurate, adequate or complete, it does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy or completeness. Tiny Hearts  is not responsible for any loss suffered as a result of or in relation to the use of its blog content... read more

While Tiny Hearts tries to ensure that the content of this blog is accurate, adequate or complete, it does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy or completeness. Tiny Hearts  is not responsible for any loss suffered as a result of or in relation to the use of its blog content.

To the extent permitted by law, Tiny Hearts excludes any liability, including any liability for negligence, for any loss, including indirect or consequential damages arising from or in relation to the use of this blog content.

This blog  may include material from third party authors or suppliers. Tiny Hearts is not responsible for examining or evaluating the content or accuracy of the third-party material and it does not warrant and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, will not have any liability or responsibility for any third-party material. This blog was written for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Nothing contained in this blog should be construed as medical advice or diagnosis.The content on our blog should not be interpreted as a substitute for physician consultation, evaluation, or treatment. Do not disregard the advice of a medical professional or delay seeking attention based on the content of this blog.  If you believe someone needs medical assistance, do not delay seeking it. In case of emergency, contact your doctor, visit the nearest emergency department, or call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

The author of this information has made a considerable effort to ensure the information is in-line with current guidelines, codes and accepted clinical evidence at time of writing, is up-to-date at time of publication and relevant to Australian readers. read less

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