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Do I need to take dd to the doctors on Tuesday? Or is this "normal"

5 replies

Mummy2TandF · 23/03/2008 19:18

Dd is nearly 17 months and since she was about 6 months, when she gets upset and cries she sort of hold her breath .... mouth wide open as if really screaming but no noise iyswim .... dh used to get quite distressed by it but we would just squeeze her wrist and she would take a gulp and scream very loudly, it never lasted longer than a split second. As she has got older she still does it but I have noticed that when her mouth is wide open in the "silent scream" she does turn blue under her nose and around her lips but again a squeeze on her wrist or a blow in her face sorts it .... the other day however I was moving furniture upstairs and dd wanted to come up with me, so I told her no and took her into the living room, where my Nan who is 80 was ... suddenly my nan called for me and said that dd had been so upset when I left her that she held her breath (I thought everything was fine because I couldn't hear the crying) but that she had actually passed out on my Nan's lap , she was fine when I went to her as tbh thought my Nan may have just panicked. But yesterday we went for lunch and I told dd off, she was in a hghchair and held her breath again ... I blew in her face and she took a breath and screamed out loud, but after this she seemed to go all stiff and then she sat up and her eyes seemed to roll and close (like she had fallen asleep) and I must admit I got quite worried, she sat on my lap and was fine afterwards ... I have read that children can do this in temper and tbh I have had sooo much happening since August I feel terrible that I haven'e done anything about this, then again, until the other day it didn't really seem an issue, but after seeing that I am a bit concerned and feel so bad that I haven't already taken her somewhere .... advice please, have you heard of this, is it normal, should I take her immediately to the drs on Tuesday?

OP posts:
nowwearefour · 23/03/2008 19:21

i would definitely get it checked out if it were me. could be an attention thing but does seem a bit unusual

Mummy2TandF · 23/03/2008 19:24

Thanks nowwearefour ... I always thought attention or temper, but actually having seen this myself, I feel bad for not really thinking anything of it ... the dr will be sick of the sight of me!

OP posts:
TheArmadillo · 23/03/2008 19:28

some children do do this when angry/upset, but it couldn't hurt to take her to the drs.

Blowing in face is a recommending technique I think (can't remember where I read it though).

netdoctor has info on it

It shouldn't cause any harm, but having a word with dr wouldn't hurt.

WigWamBam · 23/03/2008 19:31

My nephew used to do this.

The GP's recommendation was to let him get on with it because it wouldn't do any harm - he told my sister to let him pass out, because once he did so he wouldn't be able to hold his breath anymore so would start to breathe again naturally.

It is frightening to watch, but once she started ignoring him he soon stopped doing it.

chibi · 23/03/2008 19:33

I second this - it is physiologically impossible for her to harm hrrself doing this.

Perhaps when she can verbalise her frustration when she is a bit older she won't feel the need to do it anymore?

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