Why does my baby hold her breath and turn red?

Breath-holding is when a baby or child stops breathing for up to 1 minute and may faint. It can happen when a child is frightened, upset, angry, or has a sudden shock or pain. It's usually harmless but can be scary for parents, particularly when it happens for the first time.

Can breath-holding spells be fatal?

Young children, when faced with an upsetting situation or sudden pain, can hold their breath, causing them to turn bluish or pale, and pass out. Although this is alarming to parents, breath-holding spells are generally not harmful.

What does a breath-holding spell look like?

Pale spells (pallid breath holding)

Pale spells are caused by a slow heart rate and are often mistaken for a seizure. Your child will: open their mouth as if to cry but no sound comes out. faint and look very pale.

How do you stop holding a breath spell?

Are breath-holding spells seizures?

No. Children with breath-holding spells do not have epilepsy. As breath-holding spells may look like epileptic seizures, the 2 are often confused. Breath-holding spells happen after your child has been frustrated, startled or hurt.

Is it normal for a 3 week old to scream, turn red, and hold her breath when she's tired or hungry?

What do baby seizures look like?

Subtle seizures are more common among full-term babies. Symptoms of subtle seizures include: Random or roving eye movements, eyelid blinking or fluttering, eyes rolling up, eye opening, staring. Sucking, smacking, chewing and protruding tongue.

Is it normal for babies to hold their breath?

Breath-holding is usually harmless

Although breath-holding can be scary for parents, it's usually harmless and your child should grow out of it by the age of 4 or 5. Breath-holding episodes: usually last for less than 1 minute (if the child faints, they'll usually regain consciousness within 1 or 2 minutes)

Can breath-holding spells cause brain damage?

The good news is that breath-holding spells usually go away after age 5. They won't cause brain damage or other problems. And they don't make your child more likely to have health problems later in life.

Why does my baby stop breathing for a few seconds?

Apnea (AP-nee-ah) is a pause in breathing that lasts 20 seconds or longer for full-term infants. If a pause in breathing lasts less than 20 seconds and makes your baby's heart beat more slowly (bradycardia) or if he turns pale or bluish (cyanotic), it can also be called apnea.

Why does my baby hold his breath and grunt?

If you notice your child is grunting, it may be a sign that he or she is having trouble breathing. By grunting, your child can raise the pressure in their lungs more than they can from a normal breath thereby getting more air into their lungs.

When should I be concerned about a holding breath spell?

Your child may stop breathing for up to 1 minute (60 seconds) during a spell. If your child doesn't wake up quickly and start breathing again, call 911 or other emergency services.

Why does blowing on a baby's face take her breath away?

Blowing on the face is a common trick. It triggers a reflex to hold the breath for a short moment. That stops the crying, and can also be used when washing the child's face etc.

When should I worry about my child's breathing?

If Your Child Is Breathing Fast. If you have a baby or toddler, call 911 if: They're less than 1 year old and takes more than 60 breaths a minute. They're 1 to 5 years old and takes more than 40 breaths per minute.

What is breath-holding attacks?

A breath-holding spell is an episode in which the child involuntarily stops breathing and loses consciousness for a short period immediately after a frightening or emotionally upsetting event or a painful experience. Breath-holding spells usually are triggered by physically painful or emotionally upsetting events.

What causes involuntary breath-holding?

Cyanotic breath-holding spells are usually caused by anger or frustration. If the child's face turns white, it's called pallid breath-holding spell. The child may cry a little bit or not at all before having the spell. Pallid breath-holding spells are usually caused by the child being startled or in pain.

How often do breath-holding spells happen?

This reflex allows some children to hold their breath long enough to pass out. Spells do not happen on purpose. This happens in 5% of healthy children.

What is sudden infant death syndrome?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – sometimes known as "cot death" – is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby. In the UK, around 200 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly every year. This statistic may sound alarming, but SIDS is rare and the risk of your baby dying from it is low.

What is periodic breathing in babies?

Some babies can take a pause in their breathing for up to 10 seconds or a few seconds longer. Their next few breaths may be fast and shallow. Then they breathe steadily again. This is called periodic breathing.

What is a blue baby syndrome symptoms?

Blue Baby Syndrome 101

Symptoms can include bluish skin (cyanosis), rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, nausea, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of consciousness, and seizures. A high percentage of methemoglobin in the blood can lead to death.

What is cyanotic spell?

Cyanotic spells, also known as blue spells, dying spells, or apparent life-threatening events, refer to a bluish tone visible in the mucosal membranes and skin caused by an oxygen decrease in the peripheral circulation.

Will a baby cry if they can't breathe?

If a baby is breathing stale air and not getting enough oxygen, the brain usually triggers the baby to wake up and cry to get more oxygen.

What are the signs of sleep apnea in babies?

Why does my baby turn purple when crying?

The period of PURPLE crying is just that: a period. Even though it can be very frustrating for parents, it's important to remember that your baby will eventually grow out of it. When does PURPLE crying start? Newborns start going through PURPLE crying at about two weeks old.

What does cerebral palsy look like in infants?

poor muscle tone in a baby's limbs, resulting in heavy or floppy arms and legs. stiffness in a baby's joints or muscles, or uncontrolled movement in a baby's arms or legs. difficulty coordinating body movements, including grasping and clapping. a delay in meeting milestones, such as rolling over, crawling, and walking.

What does an infantile spasm look like?

Infantile spasms look like brief tensing or jerking spells that involve your baby's abdomen (belly), head, neck, arms and/or legs. The spasms last for one to two seconds and usually happen one after another (in a series or cluster) every five to 10 seconds.