Breath-holding spells in children
When to see your GP
See your GPthe first time your child has a blue breath-holding spell or reflex anoxic seizure.Your child willneed to be thoroughly examined to check whether they have a more serious underlying problem.
Ask your GP to carry out a routine electrocardiogram (ECG) if they don't suggest one themselves.
Your GP may ask you to describe what happens during an episode to see whether there's a trigger.
Blue breath-holding spells almost always occur during crying. Reflex anoxic seizures will sometimes have a trigger, such as a sudden unexpected pain or fright.
Epileptic seizures can look similar, but don't usually occurin these circumstances.
You should also take your child to see your GP if they have episodes and:
- they're younger than six months
- they have frequent episodes (more than one a week) it may be being caused by anaemia
- they're confused after a breath-holding episode
- any stiffness or shaking lasts much longer thana minute and they take a while to recover
- the episodes are so frequent and severe that they're affecting normal family life
Although blue breath-holding spells and reflex anoxic seizures can be scary to witness, they don't harm the child and don't cause neurological problems, such as brain damage or epilepsy.
Iron deficiency anaemia
In some cases blue breath-holding spells and reflex anoxic seizures may be linked to iron deficiency anaemia .
This is where a lack of iron in the body leads to a reduction in the number of red blood cells, causing symptoms such as tiredness, shortness of breath , heart palpitations and a pale complexion.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Read about breath-holding spells in children, including the two different types, how to distinguish between them, and what to do if your child has a breath-holding episode.
Types of breath-holding spells
There are two distinct disorders that are called "breath-holding spells". Blue breath-holding spells Blue breath-holding spells are the most common type of breath-holding disorder, and often occur dur
Telling the difference between the two types
It isn't always possible to tell the difference between a blue breath-holding spell and a reflex anoxic seizure. However, in most cases the advice will be the same reassurance and treatment for iron d
What to do if your child has a breath-holding spell
If your child has a blue breath-holding spell or reflex anoxic seizure, you should: stay calm it should pass in less than a minute lie them on their side don't pick them up keep an eye on them until
When to see your GP
See your GPthe first time your child has a blue breath-holding spell or reflex anoxic seizure.Your child willneed to be thoroughly examined to check whether they have a more serious underlying problem
Treating breath-holding spells
There's no specific treatment for blue breath-holding spells, but your child should have a thorough examination to check for any underlying problems, and an ECG to check for an irregular heartbeat . R
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