Breath-holding spells
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Breath-holding spells
Breath-holding spells are brief periods—usually lasting no longer than a minute—when a young child stops breathing. These spells usually result from anger, fear, pain, or frustration and are not a deliberate behavior on the child's part.
The two main types of breath-holding spells are cyanotic, caused by the change in breathing pattern, or pallid, caused by a slowing of the heart rate.
Breath-holding spells are most common in children between 6 months and 4 years of age. Breath-holding spells are usually not serious and do not cause permanent damage or affect a child's future health. Most children gradually outgrow them.
Credits
| Author | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics |
| Last Updated | May 5, 2008 |
| Last updated: | May 05, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Reviewed By: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC |
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