Hello! Anyone have experience with children (toddlers) who hold their breath when they don't get their way? My 24 month old scared the daylights out of me today. The first time that he did it, he wanted to go outside to play and I very calmly told him no because we had to get my 3 year old up from his nap. I thought nothing of it until I turned around and realized he was holding his breath. I picked him up and he would not take in any breaths. Then, I think he passed out for a couple seconds, came to, then started crying like he had no idea what was going on.
The second time that happened today, he wanted to play with something and I said no because it was not a toy and that he might get hurt. The exact same thing happened.
Are these breath-holding spells? Tantrums? I am most definately bringing this up to the pediatrician. Just wondering if any other frightened moms out there have experienced this before.
Thanks. This has been very scary for me!
My aunt used to do this (according to grandma). As soon as they pass out, they start breathing again, so they're in no real danger unless they have an underlying health issue. It's scary, but it's not lastingly harmful if my aunt is any indication.
This is a tantrum.. just make sure your child is safe as he falls, but ignore it..
Ignore it. As soon as they pass out, the brain takes over and starts to breath. It's nothing to be scared of:) Don't give in or he will think all he has to do is hold is breath when he wants something.
It's a tantrum - the more you ignore it, the sooner the phase will pass. A child can not physically hurt himself by holding his breath. He'll pass out and then he'll breath by instinct. Yes - it's scary. Ignore it! You didn't ignore it and gave him attention when he did it the first time so now he'll continue to do it more and more just to see if he can get a reaction. Don't give him one - walk away - and he'll stop.
Definitely ask the pediatrician, but understand that your toddler may know just how to push your buttons and get your attention (any normal parent would freak out and turn all their attention to their child who is holding their breath and potentially passing out). You may just need to ignore the behavior - he may learn that his choice of reaction garners no response from you and then he'll stop doing it.
Yes, I watch a two year old that does this. She will hold her breath, her eyes will roll back and she will pass out for about 10 -15 seconds. The first time she did it, I was scared to death. I had the phone in my hand and was about to call 911. I was so scared. Her mom said that the Dr. said this was normal. When she passes out it is her bodies way to make her breath again. He told us not to worry, but it is probably one of the scariest things I have ever seen!!
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Yes, I watch a two year old that does this. She will hold her breath, her eyes will roll back and she will pass out for about 10 -15 seconds. The first time she did it, I was scared to death. I had the phone in my hand and was about to call 911. I was so scared. Her mom said that the Dr. said this was normal. When she passes out it is her bodies way to make her breath again. He told us not to worry, but it is probably one of the scariest things I have ever seen!!
I just answered this question for someone else a little bit ago. I have 4 daughters of my own and have taken care of aprox 8-15 children (including part-time, occasionals, and full-timers) for the last 24 years. My 25 year old daughter did this. It was very scary. The first time it happened her eyes rolled up into her head and she went limp.
With my daughter it was whenever she was very upset. But it could be when she was mad, hurt, or simply overly tired and then didn't get her way. She could be all of those things though 90% of the time and it wouldn't happen. I am guessing that it happened 8-10 times over about a year and a half. You are calmer than me. I rushed her to the ER the first time it happened.
My daughter is a mostly healthy 25 year old today. I say mostly because she has always been a bit high strung and has stress symptoms like she's already had her gall bladder removed and acid reflux disease and lots of colds and viruses which can happen when the over all immune system is down. I don't know if being overly emotional has anything to do with it. It was always her basic personality. She had headaches and threw up at times as a kid and the doctors never found anything wrong with her.
My older sister (by 20 years) told me I did this when I was a toddler. There isn't much you can do about it. She told me that the doc said to let it go, ignore it. All that happens is the kids pass out and start breathing again. I think I just cried so hard I couldn't breathe as opposed to holding my breath on purpose, but the effect was the same. My son has done the same thing on occassion - the crying too hard version. Most of the time he starts crying before passing out - that's only happend twice, and I would have been MUCH more freaked out if I hadn't known about my own history. Check with your pedi just to be sure, but it shouldn't be a big deal - just annoying and freaky. Take care!
yeah, sounds like he's trying to manipulate you and is having a tantrum. yes, they tend to pass out, but once they pass out they start breathing again. next time put him somewhere safe so when he passes out, he won't get hurt. That's what I was told when my daughter tried it.
Definitely a tantrum.
Don't make a mountain - just ignore him.
YMMV
LBC
I understand your fear here, but the MAIN THING you need to understand is that when they do hold their breath - and eventually pass out - they immediately start breathing again. when kids realize that this DOES NOT work because they start breathing when they pass out.......they'll stop. The more you let it freak you out, the more he'll try to do it and get your attention.
I think it's fine to mention it to your ped, but again, he'll tell you the same thing. How about discussing alternative methods with your child, begin talking about patience (NOT too ealy) and compromise and/or cooperation....if he let's you finish what you're doing, you'll get him some juice or whatever.
I had a cousin that used to do that. It would scare his mom and every time he'd do it she'd give in to him. And that is why he would hold his breath because he knew she would give in to him.
His dad on the other hand would laugh at him (now keep in mind he was doing this from the age of 4-7ish or so). He knew he couldn't get his dad to give in.
But we kept telling Becky (the mom) to ignore the behavior. Yes, he will pass out, but as soon as he does he'll start breathing again and everything is fine.
Will he be scared? Yes he will be scared, and he will learn that he can't control you. He is not the boss of you, you are the boss of him.
As long as you keep giving into him he will keep doing it. It's a learned behavior.
And it may be scary for you the first few times but just stay firm.
Yep, been there still doing that, but please make sure you talk to your pediatrician before you just assume it to be a breath holding spells or a tantrum. I definately understand how frightening it is. My son did it and in our case it was right after dinner that first time, and I thought he was choking and treated it as such. He actually turned blue, his eyes rolled back and he went limp in my arms. My husband attempted the heimlich (sp?) before he actually came to. We took him to the ER that night, and then after he did it a week later (when no food was around) we took him to his pediatrician who explained it was probably breath holding spells, but he did do some tests to rule out other possible causes before he would tell us it was just a spell. There are 3 possible reasons for a child to hold his breath and pass out...heart, brain, or breath holding spells, and in our case, with a family history of Epilepsy, and the path his spells seemed to follow, it was not a cut and dry diagnosis for him. We were actually referred to a neurologist for my son, and one thing that he asked that our regular pediatrician did not is if it happened when he was overly tired which was the case, and he told us that seizures are more likely to happen when a person is tired. They ran an EEG, EKG, and MRI though and nothing showed up on it as abnormal on any of the tests. Thankfully now the spells are starting to slow down with our son, and do not seem to get to the point of passing out like before. What we have found to help is to (try) to stay calm. I could not just ignore him when he did it, and I am not sure how any mother can when their baby stops breathing, but at the first sign he may be going into one, I try to change his mindset. We have been known to say here hold the remote/phone for me, do you want a drink/candy, look at the kitty, etc, or if it is close enough to get to, spray him in the face with a water bottle. Most of the time that is all it takes and he will get his breath before passing out. I was always afraid that by ignoring him, at just age 2, you cannot be certain he did not get ahold of something and put it in his mouth and is actually choking (I think the first time made us paranoid). I could not see letting him pass out and losing that precious time if he truly could not breath. That was not a gamble I was willing to take.
