Crying and breath holding - really worried

[*Star*]

Oliver is really scaring me at the moment. First with this peanut reaction, and now with this.

The last two days or so, when he is tired and say he gets hold of something he isn't allowed, and we take it off him. Well, he will really realy cry hysterically. But he wont actually cry, he'll try to cry but can't get his breath. He'll be led there with his mouth wide open trying to scream but not, his face goes blue, all round his tongue and his mouth is blue. He'll be shaking his head from side to side, but just not breathing. Eventually, after what seems like forever, (probably about 30 seconds), he takes a little breath and that seems to break the 'trance' and he'll be crying really bad but breathing.

Then after a few breaths he'll stop screaming and it's like he's totally not with it. Just earlier when he did it he just lay in my arms with his eyes half shut but he just was not there behind them. I can't explain it, his eyes were glazed over. Almost like he was asleep.

After another 30 seconds or so he'll kind of come round, but will be really clingy and still not 100% himself.

Why is he doing this. The time while he is screaming and holding his breath is horrible. I don't think he is physically holding his breath himself, he just is so upset that he just cannot take a breath. It's horrible, it scares me and there is nothing i can do until he decides to breathe again. He's done it about 4 times in the last couple of days.

What can I do?

 

[purple13]

i don't know about the crying bit, but the trance-like bit and eyes glazed over bit sounds like my brother's best friend when we were little - he had childhood epilepsy but rather than having fits, he would just zone out... it didn't really affect any part of his life and he'd grown out of it by the age of about 10. sorry hon, i don't mean to scare you/worry you any more than you are. it just sounds a bit similar. maybe go to the docs and get him checked out?

 

[Tillytots]

as soon as I read your post epilepsy came to mind too thats what my friend used to do - like purple says...just zone out and then be really clingy afterwards. DEfinately go to the docs hun xx

 

[xkikix]

Have you ever tried blowing on his face? I know Chester is alot younger but sometimes he screams so much its like he hasnt taken a breath so HV suggested gently blowing on his face and it really works. He just like snaps out of it. Just a short puff of air and it doesnt hurt them at all. Good luck hun and defo speak to HV xxxxx

 

[*Star*]

hmm im not sure. if it was epilepsy, wouldn't it happen at odd times, and not just after he's had a crying, breath holding fit? And so far it only seems to happen when he's tired and he has something taken away from him that he does it.
Yeah I've tried lots of things to get him to take the breath. From blowing to tapping, to sprinkling water on his face. Doesn't make a difference until he 'decides' to do it himself.

 

[purple13]

hmm im not sure. if it was epilepsy, wouldn't it happen at odd times, and not just after he's had a crying, breath holding fit? And so far it only seems to happen when he's tired and he has something taken away from him that he does it.
Yeah I've tried lots of things to get him to take the breath. From blowing to tapping, to sprinkling water on his face. Doesn't make a difference until he 'decides' to do it himself.

quite possibly hon i don't really know that much about it. i did find this on the epilepsy.org website though:

Breath-holding attacks
These are an extreme reaction to shock or frustration. Instead of screaming with fear, pain or anger, the child screams once, draws a huge breath as if to carry on and then holds it for so long they pass out. This causes the child to stop holding their breath. Although alarming to witness, your child can't do himself lasting physical harm during such an attack.

i know that's not identical to your LO, but there are similarities. i'd go to the docs just to get it checked out just in case

 

[*Star*]

yeah, it all sounds very similar apart from where it says they hold their breath till they pass out.

I mean, it could be that is what he is doing when he takes the breath after holding it for a while, and he is unconcious when he's all glazed over etc. But his eyes are open and he is looking around, but just not seeing us.

 

[purple13]

i hope you manage to get to the bottom of it xxx

 

[maria1976]

Hey honey, funnily enough i was reading my baby book last night in bed and read about this im gonna put what it said

"recently my baby has started holding his breath during crying spells. Today he held it so long he actually passed out. Could this be dangerous"

Invariably, its the parents who suffer most when a child holds his breath. While the adult witnessing the ordeal is likely to remain shaky for hours, even a baby who turns blue and passes out during a breath holding episode recovers quickly and completely, as automatic respiratory mechanisms click into place and breathing resumes.
Breath holding spells are usually precipitated by anger, frustration or pain. The crying, instead of letting up, becomes more hysterical, baby begins to hyperventilate, then finally stops breathing. In mild events, the lips turn blue all over then loses conciousness, his body may stiffen or even twitch. The episode is usually over in less than a minute long before any brain damage can occur.
About one in five imfants holds his breath at one time or another. Some have only occasional episodes, others may have one or two a day. Breath holding tends to run in families, and is most commen between six months and four years, though it can occasionally begin earlier or continue later.
Breath holding can usually be distinguished from epilepsy (they are in no way related) by the fact that it is preceded by crying and the fact that baby turns blue and loses conciousness before stiffening or twitching. In epilepsy, there is usualy no precipitating facor, and the child doesnt ordinarilly turn blue before a seizure.
No treatment is necessary for a child who has passed out from breath holding. And though theres no sure cure for the condition other than the passing of years, it is possible to head off some of the temper tantrums that can result in a breath holding episode

be sure your baby gets enough rest a baby who is overtired or overstimulated is moew susceptible than a well rested one.

tChoose your battles. Too many nos can lead to too much frustration for baby.

Try to calm baby before hysteria sets in, usung music, toys or other distractions (but not food, which will create another bad habit)

respond calmly to breath holding spells, your anxiety can make them worse.

dont cave in after a spell. If your baby knows he can get what he wants by holding his breath, he will repeat the behaviour frequently, especially as he becomes a more manipulative toddler.

Some research has shown theat breath holdig spells sometimes stop when a child begins receiving an iron supplement, check with the doctor to see if this might be a good treatment option for your baby.

If your baby's breath holding spells are severe, last more than a minute, are unrelated to crying, are not related to pain or frustration, or have you worried for any other reason, discuss them with his doctor as soon as possible.

Hope this helps

 

[*Star*]

thanks so much for that.
yes it does sound so similar to what happens, just the part at the end where he is spaced out and not with it isn't mentioned.

the fact that it starts when he is tired and when i've taken something off him sounds very much like what you've put.

 

[Slinky Sarah]

i used to do this when i was a baby...

Mum used to blow really hard in my face, not up close or anything just enough to startle me. If that didnt work she used to make a very loud noise near me again to startle me out of it.

Think its called kinking....

My cousins little baby has started doing this and hes a month old...

Id speak to the HV or DR to get some advice as it sounds a bit more extreme

 

[laetitia85]

Kenzo has done that twice (holding his breath, trying to scream but nothing happens), but he didn't go blue/purple. and it wasn't as bad as you described it. It happened after he got really scared, e.g. he hates staying in the dark alone.
I got very worried and told my husband but he thinks it's something that can happen to adults too, when you get really scared or really upset about something.

 

[*Star*]

well it hasn't happened since those few days last week. we have his hv appointment for his injections on tuesday so i'll speak to them then

 

[laetitia85]

well it hasn't happened since those few days last week. we have his hv appointment for his injections on tuesday so i'll speak to them then

good luck x I'm sure it will be fine