I have heard stories about the "terrible twos", the crying, the own will and stubbornness and parents feeling like failures and ready to give up, but a friend of mine has a toddler that holds his breath or cries himself out of breath until he actually goes blue in the face.
This made me wonder if it is just being naughty, is it an illness or what causes it.
This can be a tremendous scary experience for the parent and although most people think is is just a phase, there are actually a reason for it.
These breath holding moments are involuntary -which mean it is not on reaction to the will and luckily usually do not last more than one minute. But it can be very alarming and will totally freak you out. Watch the video to see what you can expect (if you are sensitive or just a mom this can be upsetting to watch)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA7-2CvXMDI
Most of the time you will be able to predict one of these spells coming on and it is seen more in kids where there is a history of this on their parents' side when they were small.
Most kids will outgrow this when they are 5 or 6 years old.
There are two types of breath holding called "Cyanotic breath holding spells" and "Pallid breath holding spells" and they differ from each other in cause and the characteristic of the spell.
Both types will cause the child to stop breathing, sometimes they can even pass out and in extreme situations seizures can occur. Luckily these seizures do not cause lasting damage.
If this happens to your child, there is not really anything you can do than just let the child lay down and wait it out (this will be very difficult).
If your child passes out, just make sure that he/she has nothing in their mouths which can cause them to choke and move any toys or furniture away that they can hurt themselves on.
If your child turns blue and do not start breathing after a minute you will have to call the emergency services.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oknV2XZt9Uw
If you go through this the first time it is advisable to see your doctor to rule out any other medical problems. There can be other medical reasons besides from just being a "breath holding spell".
The doctor may order a blood test to rule out an iron deficiency or anemia. You can read more about anemia here.
If a child has a "breath holding spell" it will most probably be triggered by frustration and fear over which the child has no control. This can occur in children that are most of the time healthy, so is no indication that there is an illness.
Most kids outgrow this when they learn to cope with their emotions better. It is very difficult to find ways to discipline a child and avoid these spells, but it is very important to remember that all kids need structure and guidelines to keep them save and help them to become good adapted kids and adults that can cope with life emotionally.
Try and avoid situations that frustrates the child and if this happens, do not draw to much attention to this, because it can reinforce future spells.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H9EUE1JDRY
Speak to your doctor on ideas on how to cope with these spells and what you must do when it happens.
All parents can do with a few tips on how to discipline their kids. Sometimes we just run out of ideas or feel like just leaving them alone or give in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cidE59kOjHU
https://imgoat.com/uploads/3db85ed909/85708.png
Originally posted here: https://steemit.com/steemiteducation/@alishi/when-your-toddler-cries-his-her-breath-away
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