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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

DD 18 months stopped breathing - please help

71 replies

brandybutterfly · 27/12/2009 18:30

DD and I were at a friend's house.

She started crying and didn't breathe for ages, went floppy in my arms, lips turned purple and face went a blue-y colour.

I was blowing on her face and she finally took a breath. She's fine now but this is not the first time it's happened, last time was at the dr's when she was having jabs and the nurse said, "Does this happen often?"

It was awful, any suggestions if it happens again?

OP posts:

FiveGoMadInDorset · 27/12/2009 18:33

Have it checked out. DD did this, cried and then passed out numerous time. i took her to the Doctor who checked her over, said she was fine but if she passed out while not crying then we shoudl be worried. In my expereince, all the doctors we have seen would far rather see a child and then declare nothing to worry about. She grew out of it when she was 2 andthen went on to crying and throwing up.

catinthehat2 · 27/12/2009 18:33

Call NHS direct
Visit your own GP
Don't piss around with dramatising it in an online forum would be my advice.

alypaly · 27/12/2009 18:33

some babies hold their breath,almost as a tantrum...but would speak to Gp about it asap

MmeherewegoawassailLindt · 27/12/2009 18:34

I am sure someone will be along soon to tell you more, but I know that this is not that uncommon. My cousin use to do it. He eventually grew out of it. Very scary though, you must have been frightened.

LedodgyChristmasjumper · 27/12/2009 18:34

Taker her to the GP to get checked out. It is likely that she's just forgot to breather during a tantrum. I just found this:

'Toddlers who hold their breath
Even though a child may learn to play by the rules, until they are at least three years old, they cannot begin to truly understand cause and effect. Therefore, when they break the rules or boundaries we set them, they are often baffled by the reaction they get from cross parents.
Breath-holding is their way of trying to claw back some control, or at least some room to negotiate.
The first time a child holds their breath (for what seems a terrifying duration for the parent), is usually during a raging bout of uncontrollable anger or frustration. They may forget to breathe in during a flood of tears, and suddenly they notice their are holding their breath.
If the child then continues to hold their breath, it is possible that their lips and skin turn pale or blue. At this point, they may faint, which is the body's way of recovering on autopilot. It looks worse than it is, because a child who has passed out will then start to breathe again.
Holding their breath like this cannot harm your child because the body will not allow him or her to stop breathing long enough to do any serious damage (just as we couldn't ourselves, under normal conditions).
It is hard to switch off your own emotions when a child reacts in such a way. However, it is important for you to be on guard where possible. If an episode like this gets a shocked reaction the first time it happens (and why wouldn't it, from any worried adult?), the toddler will use it as a way of ending future confrontations and as a route to getting his or her own way.
Discuss your reactions with your partner so that you can be prepared for other incidents and be united in how you deal with them. There is no need to make the breath-holding incidents another issue to argue about with your child, but be firm and stick to your guns over the initial cause for disgareement, then your child will know that the hassle of holding his or her breath isn't going to win them battles.'

LedodgyChristmasjumper · 27/12/2009 18:35

I don't know where those extra R's came form in my post!

itsmeolord · 27/12/2009 18:35

Why have you not sought medical advice if this has happened before?

What catinthehat2 said.

Northernlebkuchen · 27/12/2009 18:36

This can be normalish behaviour for some toddlers but you must speak to your GP. Ring and make an appointment as soon as they open and in the mean time watch her closely, if concerned go straight to A&E. Don't waste your time asking for advice on how to deal with this here - you need a medical opinion.

Ewe · 27/12/2009 18:36

I think you need to take her to the GP who should be able to advise. I have heard about this before though, think the DD of Charlotte Church has it.

MmeherewegoawassailLindt · 27/12/2009 18:43

Gosh, you lot are harsh. Shebos not dramatising it on an online forum, she is asking advice.

And presumably she is doing so because the first (and only other time, if I understood the OP correctly) that this happened was at the GPs and the nurse asked if it happened often.

Did the GP say anything or give you any advice, BrandyB?

Original poster

brandybutterfly · 27/12/2009 18:46

cat and itsme - I really don't need horrible comments, it was awful to see. We're home now and she's playing with DH and all is fine.

In my post I said the last time it happened was actually at the dr's surgery so had a dr been suggested then we would have gone straight to see one.

My first DD died aged 1 month so maybe it did come across as dramatic but I have reason to feel upset.

Will take her to dr asap though.

Thanks to everyone else for constructive suggestions.

OP posts:

FiveGoMadInDorset · 27/12/2009 18:48

Good luck Brandy.

StealthPolarBear · 27/12/2009 18:48

DS did / does (rarely now, age 2) this & it's behavioural, is awul to see though, esp the colour change & floppiness.
Hope that is what iyour dd is doing, def get it checked though

Original poster

brandybutterfly · 27/12/2009 18:49

mmehere x post, thank you.

We were in with the nurse having her jabs and she did it then too but hasn't done it since (until today).

OP posts:

KristinaM · 27/12/2009 18:51

yes, please see GP

you could also get training in how to resuscitate a baby/toddler, if your GP thinks its necessary

sorry to hear about your first DD

shallishanti · 27/12/2009 18:52

DS2 used to do this, until he was about 6, initially in response to pain but latterly if he was other wise upset. Definitely not a conscious thing, as implied in the explanation of breath holding. I went to the GP and described it as breath holding, he said how do yo now he's actually holding his breath, and actually, I didn't. There was a name for it that I can't remember, you will find other threads discussing it, but upshot was not a problem, only thing to watch out for was child fainting in a dangerous place, like on a climbing frame. Check it out with GP, but don't worry in the meantime.

shallishanti · 27/12/2009 18:54

sorry, was writing while you posted about your DD1, of course you will be extra anxious.

catinthehat2 · 27/12/2009 19:01

"DD 18 months stopped breathing - please help"

How about that for drama?

Certainly brought everyone running didn't it?

anonandlikeit · 27/12/2009 19:03

Hi Brandy
I can understand your anxiety, I think you are reacting calmly & rationally - perfectly normal.
DS2 went through a phase (it lasted a couple of yrs) of breath holding & passing out. ds2 has underlying lung & neurological problems & the first couple of times it seemed to take forever for him to breathe & dh gave him a big puff in the mouth & it seemed to get his going again.

We ahd him checked out by his consultant paed who said it was nothing more than toddler brathe holding tantrums BUT
if ever it happens when not crying, or seems unwell before or after or does not recover to normal alertness once calm then to seek immediate advice.

He did grow out of it, eventually, but it was horrible to watch, we got used to it but others found it very shocking.
x

Twinklenips · 27/12/2009 19:03

So what did the Nurse advise when it happened in front of her?

FFS.

Original poster

brandybutterfly · 27/12/2009 19:05

She is generally a really bouncy toddler, it was so scary (and it really wasn't me being a neurotic worrier, I think anyone whose DC has done it knows what I went through).

Hugely appreciate all of your positive comments - I will definitely enquire about resuscitation.

All suggestions very gratefully read!

OP posts:

Original poster

brandybutterfly · 27/12/2009 19:06

cat I don't know what your problem is, my thread title is exactly what happened.

twinkle nurse didn't suggest anything other than to ask if she'd done it before.

OP posts:

anonandlikeit · 27/12/2009 19:07

Twinkle, why the FFS?

MollieO · 27/12/2009 19:08

Ds used to stop breathing as a baby but it was due to immature nerves than wilful behaviour. He stopped doing it at 13 weeks thank heavens but up until then he did it several times a day from a newborn to once a day by the time it stopped for good. I was taught to squeeze his foot really really hard. That made him scream and take a breath. Absolutely horrible thing to go through.

noddyholder · 27/12/2009 19:08

My sister used to do this when she was little as she was scared of scissors!So mail cutting etc sent her into a frenzy of breath holding.It is harmless but terrifying my mum was actually talking about it on xmas day and my sis is 43 now!!!!!!! Cat those comments were so uncalled for

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