Scary screaming...could the screaming harm my baby?

[sandfairy]

Just had a really frightening 30 mins with ds (10 weeks old) totally screaming his lungs out in a very uncharacteristic way. He seemed in agony. The scary thing about it was the way he'd scream then not breathe for what seemed like an eternity at the same time as doing a full moro action, going absolutely red all over. Like an awful silent scream. Then fINALLY he'd inhale and scream again. He just looks like he might explode or something and I can't help thinking it must be really bad for him, his heart or something. Is this a ridiculous thing to think?

We can't work out what set it off exactly, but he'd just had a bath and I applied some sudacrem around his bottom. Could it have stung him like crazy? Perhaps he is allergic to it? Anyone had the same thing?

My kids (all 3 of them) did this scary screaming thing where they held their breaths until the almost passed out (only ds actually did0 normally it was if they had really hurt themselves or if they were in pain.

I would keep a close eye on him to make sure that he is not in any more pain.

You mean he actually passed out from screaming? Then what happened?

Took him to hospital - kept him in for observation because he had lost consiousness. Apparently i used to do it as a baby. Completely terrified my parents so it was kind of poetic justic really!!!

He eventually grew out of it at about 18 monthes. He used to do it all the time. dh used to say don't worry he'll breath in a minute - but i could never be that calm!

That must have been horrible. It scares me so much i go all shaky. I really couldn't cope if ds passed out...i probably would too. It is relieving to hear your son grew out of it, but i really don't want to have to contend with it on a regular basis for the next year or so!

To be honest you do come to expect it but it never stopped being scary for me.

try to remain calm if he does do it. I always found that a cold flannel or splashing cold water on him helped to bring him around.

The hospital said that i should leave him and he would eventually bring hinself around but I said that there was no way that i could leave him - they said that teh coldness would have the desired effect!! Cruel but in my mind essential. Good luck

Ds has started doing something similar (though not quite as extreme I don't think) in the last few days. He's 15 weeks. He does it in the evening, which has always been a grumpy time, and just seems to get himself into a complete state - bright red and rigid/arched back with rage/pain.

I think it's partly wind, partly fatigue and mainly I don't know what... I have found that I can get him out of it by completely undressing him and doing a sort of pseudo baby massage (just rubbing gently his stomach, arms and legs - not learnt it properly) whilst speaking softly to him. He starts smiling and giggling after a bit so he's not in real pain.

Might be worth a try, I think he gets himself really worked up and almost can't snap himself out of it. The silent screaming is horrid to see though.

Stupidly i have just scared myself witless reading about a syndrome called RAS. I hope this breath-holding thing doesn't progress to that. Feel SO sorry for parents whose kids actually lose consciousness like that; hope and pray ds never does. So this must be what parental responsibility feels like, I'm going seriously neurotic.