This occurs in children starting 1-2 yrs
old and usually gone by 4 yr old. It is where the child is usually
hurt physically or emotionally and when crying they hold their
breath, turn blue and pass out. When they pass out they start
breathing again and get up OK and the follow up in these children
are normal. It is associated in many children with iron deficiency
anemia and when treated with iron the spells stop. It is quite
frightening to the parents and must not be confused with a seizure.
There also can be a very few children
who have a pale episode of passing out without holding their breath
and not turning blue. They are pale and white. There is a minor
head trauma that triggers a brief stopping of the heart with a
temporary drop in blood pressure. There is no crying and not
holding their breath. They need to be tested with an ECG to see if
they have a short QT Interval Syndrome. These are not as common.
I recommend iron and vitamins and
Zinc to all children at 1 yr old and I hardly ever see this
problem. Give your kids vitamins with iron and zinc the whole time
you have them with you ...until 19 yr ...(or 79).
