my little boy stops breathing...any advice?

[mercedes69]

The title sounds a bit dumb...advice? whip him to hospital.... But let me explain...

My son is 14 months old...and since about 10 months old or so...he can't get his breath back when he cries...sometimes!!!

Now there is varying degrees of it...and how soon he gets his breath back varies...but it scares the living daylights out of me. Yesterday he did it and the trouble was for a few seconds neither me nor my daughter were watching him....he was stood beside us but we were talking...I just saw him as he was turning blue... I have to breathe on him to make him catch his breath and then he gulps and breathes again but this time I had to smack his bum because he had gone a little too far. His eyes roll and he goes stiff. He has done it a fair few times and it is down to his little temper...and mainly with me...

Now I haven't been to a doctor because I doubt there is much that can be done and he will grow out of it....most other people have said the worst he will do is pass out and this will regulate his breathing...but I am finding it a little nerve racking....

My second eldest daughter did it twice before she was a year old then never again afterwards...none of my other children have done it.

Anyone else experienced this?

Thanks xx

 

[adelekeegan1]

Apparently I used to do it too and my Mum would give me a shake until I breathed again. My little brother did it as well, and this went on until we were over 2.
I don't see how you can stop it really but I know it is quite scary to watch

 

[Jen Smith]

Good Lord! Get him to his health visitor soon as hun... if he almost went comotosed then you need this nipping in the bud. They will probably have had lots of experience with other mothers and their children to offer you good sound advise to curb this behaviour before it gets out of control.

It must be so frightening seeing him go blue... sorry but I don't know what advise to give you having not experienced this with mine. :hug:

 

[JoJoPearce]

My neice used to do this when she had a shock would hold her breath and most times pass out. It was quite distressing to watch. She has grown out of it now.

The doctor said that it is quite common and most children grow out of it. He also said that some children do this as a way of getting attention.

I would go to see your health visitor or doctor and get there advise on how to handle it and to make sure it's not anything else. But try not to worry, if you take it in your stride and make no big deal of it then maybe he will just stop it.

 

[JoJoPearce]

Just took this off the net for you, but still go to the doctor to make sure it is this:

Breath holding attacks in young children can be very frightening for parents or anyone else witnessing them but thankfully they pose no danger to the child apart from the risk of falling over.

There are two forms: the more common 'blue type' and the rarer 'pallid' or 'faint' type, which it sounds as if your daughter suffers from.

In the blue type the child is often having a tantrum or crying, and having given a long cry which empties their lungs of air they then fail to breathe in again.

Over the next 15 seconds or so the child goes blue in the face and passes out. Once unconscious, the child's breathing starts again automatically and they regain consciousness within another 15 seconds.

The pallid type of attack often happens after a painful or frightening episode and children do not deliberately hold their breath - the attack is more like a reflex faint.

After a fright or minor injury the child goes limp and falls to the ground. The pulse rate becomes slow and the child looks very pale although they usually recover consciousness fairly quickly

With both types of attacks children usually grow out of them, often by the time they reach school age, so with any luck this will happen to your daughter.

Yours sincerely

The Medical Team

 

[Terese]

You need to check there are no other signs whilst this is happening, blue lips, grey pallor in any case GO to your GP. He wil check out heart beat/pulse and his rhythum may get checked at the hospital.

He may very well be doing this for attention...but please do go and get it checked out ASAP

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Just took this off the net for you, but still go to the doctor to make sure it is this:

Breath holding attacks in young children can be very frightening for parents or anyone else witnessing them but thankfully they pose no danger to the child apart from the risk of falling over.

There are two forms: the more common 'blue type' and the rarer 'pallid' or 'faint' type, which it sounds as if your daughter suffers from.

In the blue type the child is often having a tantrum or crying, and having given a long cry which empties their lungs of air they then fail to breathe in again.

Over the next 15 seconds or so the child goes blue in the face and passes out. Once unconscious, the child's breathing starts again automatically and they regain consciousness within another 15 seconds.

The pallid type of attack often happens after a painful or frightening episode and children do not deliberately hold their breath - the attack is more like a reflex faint.

After a fright or minor injury the child goes limp and falls to the ground. The pulse rate becomes slow and the child looks very pale although they usually recover consciousness fairly quickly

With both types of attacks children usually grow out of them, often by the time they reach school age, so with any luck this will happen to your daughter.

Yours sincerely

The Medical Team

I have never had this happen but can appreciate that this must be so terribly frightening as a parent to have to witness :hug:.

As mentioned above, I have heard of this happening, and if the child becomes unconsious, they automatically start breathing again after they pass out as they are no longer in control of their breathing.

As harsh as this may sound (I am not in you situation so it is easier for me to say this :hug, perhaps consider ignoring him when he cries. If you are watching him when he cries he may play on the fact that he is getting your attention IYKWIM. Be near by but don't let him know you are subtley watching him. Toddlers are amazingly aware at 14 months of age.

This is just my thoughts on the matter. Obviously consult the experts in this field.

 

[fifitrix]

My daughter used to do this when she was about 18 months old, she would stop breathing then then go blue. The first time it happened it scared me to death and we whipped her up to the hospital, they told us it was quite normal and when she passed out she would breathe again on her own, and she would grow out of it. She did, a few months later.

It is horrible to watch, I really feel for you hun:hug:

 

[ladybgemini]

My older brother used to do this too, my mum used to just let him have his tantrum and he would go blue and pass out then come round pretty much straight away. She made sure he was safe and kept a close eye on him without hovvering as it can be caused by wanting attention.

 

[fats28]

My daughter did it til she was 2 1/2 and I used to throw cold water at her not bucket fulls obviously just a glass or half a cup. Basically you need to do something that will physically shock him like a cold sensation to bring him out of it. Its awful to watch and god knows why they do it, but he will grow out of it.:hug:

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

My older brother used to do this too, my mum used to just let him have his tantrum and he would go blue and pass out then come round pretty much straight away. She made sure he was safe and kept a close eye on him without hovvering as it can be caused by wanting attention.

This is what I was trying to say Rach and as you've had experience with this, you have worded it in a way I couldn't without sounding cruel.

It must be an awful thing to have to watch, but as you say, if you keep a close eye, the child does start breathing again.

May I just add that although I think it is important for everyone to know the basics of 1st aid and CPR, in this instance it would be a good idea to learn how to breath and do chest compressions for a child in case something did go horribly wrong. Just my thoughts. Very honest ones I know but important IMO.

 

[ladybgemini]

This is what I was trying to say Rach and as you've had experience with this, you have worded it in a way I couldn't without sounding cruel.

Thats because I aint as posh as you is :green:

 

[bubbabinks]

My eldest used to do this as well at about the same age, I would blow on her face and it would snap her out of it.
If it was quite bad and didnt work I would flick cold water at her and that would work.
Thankfully she's grown out of it.
My sister used to do it when she was little, but hers were tantrums.
My parents didnt know what to do, but my nan knocked it on the head by turning her upside down and she never did it again!!

 

[dee]

my nephew used to do it and it was so scary , my sister took him to docs but they didnt do anything about , just said he would grow out of it , it used to scare the poop outta me !

 

[Sals]

My daughter did it til she was 2 1/2 and I used to throw cold water at her not bucket fulls obviously just a glass or half a cup.

:lol:Sorry but that really made me laugh!

I used to do this (drama queen that I am) but apparently I stopped when I started nursery school. I imagine this was because I didn't get the attention. I certainly never stopped throwing tantrums!

Hope he grows out of it soon. Must be horrible to watch!:hug:

 

[fats28]

:lol:Sorry but that really made me laugh!

I used to do this (drama queen that I am) but apparently I stopped when I started nursery school. I imagine this was because I didn't get the attention. I certainly never stopped throwing tantrums!

Hope he grows out of it soon. Must be horrible to watch!:hug:

I did feel I needed to clarify it wasn't a case of throwing buckets over the poor mite or just turning a hose on at high pressure:lol::lol:

 

[Jewsey]

This used to happen to me too up until i was about 5 or 6, if i had a shock or bumped my head i used to hold my breathe and then pass out and wake after a miniute or so and wonder where i was etc .... my mum was frightened to so she took me to the docs and as has been said its quite common and the doc said that nothing would ever happen as something clicks in and you start to breathe again.
It must be very frightening for you, i remember one time it happened when my mum took me to bejam (freezer shop) and some lady shut my finger in the
freezer and i held my breath and passed out, poor lady wondered what had happened to me she was shocked to say the least its not a nice thing to happen in front of ppl, but i grew out of it well lets say i think i have as i always get my own way now now i just throw my toys out of the pram.

Take Care to you and i wish you all the best and my advice is to just try and keep calm if and when it happens.:hug:

Julie x

 

[VillageNails]

i honestly believe it is, as most other geeks have said nothing to worry about it. My son used to do this and although i was a very experienced nurse it still scared the crap out of me. My older daughter always wanted to throw the water at him lol!
BUT YOU SHOULD GET HIM CHECKED OUT.:hug:

 

['chelle]

aw hun I know how you are feeling its very scary.
It doesnt sound the same, but my daughter suffered from sleep apnoea when she was a baby (where they stop beathing when they go to sleep). She grew out of it fortunately.
Anyway, a charity lent us an alarm that detected her breathing, and went off like the clappers when she stopped! As soon as we woke her up, she breathed again. What a carry on!
Anyway, I know how you are feeling, it doesnt sound like an alarm would help, but if you think it would, send me a pm and I will give you the details of the charity that lend these things out.
Good luck!

 

[*JOANNE*]

first of all i would see your health visitor to rule anything out.....
but my middle boy ash would cry and cry it was at the gae where he could stand up and w3alk around...he would cry stop breathing and i would see his lips go blue i would have to blow really hard in his mouth and he would gasp for breath again, he even did it once when he was stood up holding a chair arm was crying and he held his breath and even fainted........he did grow out of it and my health visitor said it was like a hissy fit tantrum outburst when he was crying......
but check with your health visitor anyway to be on the safe side