Baby holding breath till blue

[MoeJoe]

I don't know if I can handle it anymore! My 18 mo DD often cries and holds her breath till she is literally blue in the face!! It is very frightening to see on it's own, but especially since she's had already two "episodes". One was a febral seizure the other the neurologist just called an "altered state of mind" when she was completely out of it for a few minutes.

She mostly cries like this when she is insulted (she is a MAJOR drama queen), but occasionally also when she hurts herself. I just don't know what to do... I know there is really nothing and hope she grows out of it- but it really puts a downer on my mood for the rest of the day. Plus, I keep on imagining what can, Gd forbid, happen to her...

Do you think there can be any connection between her "altered state" episode and her holding her breath. I was thinking that maybe when she does that it may short circuit something in her brain? I had an EEG done but they said there was nothing going on there.

The neurologist is out of the country for a few weeks, but I will ask him when he gets back. I was just thinking about it in the meanwhile.

WDYT? Anyone BTDT?

ETA- my mom used to tell me that I also held my breath while crying, as a kid. Guess what goes around comes around!

[elektra]

I know that hyperventilation can be a seizure trigger. I had a seizure once after hyperventilating.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absence_seizure
Maybe she is hyperventilating first, then holding her breath which triggers the seizure?

[MoeJoe]

Originally Posted by elektra

I know that hyperventilation can be a seizure trigger. I had a seizure once after hyperventilating.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absence_seizure
Maybe she is hyperventilating first, then holding her breath which triggers the seizure?

The thing is, at the time of the seizure (I'll call it that for the time being) she was actually not crying. She was playing and happy... But, it's a thought. Thanks.

[megs4413]

Honestly, with the brief history you gave here, I wouldn't necessarily connect these tantrums with her neurological quirks. How are you handling these episodes right now? How long does it take to diffuse her? Is she fainting?

[Snow mom]

A good friends older DD would hold her breath til turning blue at that age and her younger DD holds her breath until she passes out. Both of them were triggered by being upset over something. The biggest concern was when the little one would pass out obviously she would just fall over. Her girls actually have very different personalities other than this holding breath trait. Unfortunately I don't think there is a lot that can be done to make your DD breath when she is holding her breath. My friends older DD has outgrown this at 3 yo and I believe her younger still does it occasionally at ~18 mos.

[elektra]

Originally Posted by MoeJoe

The thing is, at the time of the seizure (I'll call it that for the time being) she was actually not crying. She was playing and happy... But, it's a thought. Thanks.

Ah, I misunderstood. I thought the crying and holding the breath happened right before the "altered state of mind" episode.

I too might not think they are neccessarily connected then (holding breath and "episodes").

[MoeJoe]

Originally Posted by megs4413

Honestly, with the brief history you gave here, I wouldn't necessarily connect these tantrums with her neurological quirks. How are you handling these episodes right now? How long does it take to diffuse her? Is she fainting?

Ok. I was just thinking about it bec. a- it would be calming to have a reason for the "episode" and the dr. is not giving one. b- I thought there possibly may be a connection bec. I forgot to mention that she does this at the appnt.

To answer: I usually end up picking her up and rocking her to calm her down. If DH is around I make him do it, bec. it really freaks me out... But, the other day I had put her aside bec. she was making trouble and she got MAJORLY insulted and started crying... holding her breath... I was annoyed at her, so I was just giving her a moment or two by herself. I turned around to get her and she is falling face forward on the floor, narrowly missing the stroller wheels to her head... I felt sooooooo guilty after that! Nevermind it was so scary to see her fall like that... But, she didn't faint and after I picked her up she calmed down in a minute or two.

Usually it takes her not more than one minute holding her breath to breathing again. But, I never timed it, obviously having other things on my mind... After she breaths she goes straight to a tense kind of quiet with a little catching breath from crying/holding breath. I think this part is odd too...

[MoeJoe]

Originally Posted by Snow mom

A good friends older DD would hold her breath til turning blue at that age and her younger DD holds her breath until she passes out. Both of them were triggered by being upset over something. The biggest concern was when the little one would pass out obviously she would just fall over. Her girls actually have very different personalities other than this holding breath trait. Unfortunately I don't think there is a lot that can be done to make your DD breath when she is holding her breath. My friends older DD has outgrown this at 3 yo and I believe her younger still does it occasionally at ~18 mos.

Thanks for the info. I really hope my DD outgrows this soon!

[craftysierra]

My youngest would faint while crying. It happened a handful of times and has been a year or so since she has done it. I am thinking it was around 18 months when she started. I think my sister would do it and I know my mother in law's sister did it.

Sierra

[MamaKath]

(((Hugs))) My oldest had pallid breath holding spells followed my seizures. It was horribly frightening! Luckily we had a doctor who taught us (after ruling out other issues) that these are similar to panic attacks and the best thing we could do when they happened is to get her someplace safe and ignore it so we didn't teach her body that it was an appropriate reaction. It is interesting as she has had many issues with anxiety/panic as she has gotten older and the safe/ignore is sometimes the best way to handle it for her.

This link explains the differences in breath holding spells. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breath-holding_spells My husband heard for years that he did it spitefully, until our daughter had the problem and it was the neurologist that spoke to my mil and pulled out that it wasn't spiteful and that SHE had suffered them too! Oy!