14 Mo Old with Breathholding Spells (Almost Daily)

I had a brother that did that. My mother, one day, threw a cup or so of cold water on him, probably face and head, and he never did that again.

2 of my 4 kids did the exact same thing frequently starting at age one. For a while my daughter was breatholding up to 5 times a 5 day. When it happend I would keep an eye on them until they came too but not give them too much attention. For both kids it tapered off and stopped completely by the time they were three. Though it can be scary to watch, it is generally not thought of as dangerous and it is just something they grow out of.

Y.
My son used to do this as a baby and my mom simply blew into his face, which caused him to stop and take a breath.
You could try that.
My daughter's 10 mth old does this now too...!
Sign of a really bad temper because they don't have the words to explain to you how they feel...so act out instead. Amazing how early it starts!!
All the best to you!
Jewel

My husband had a nephew do the same thing you are describing and the doctor told them to turn the cold water on in the sink and just put his head under the faucet briefly( don't hold him under for a long time) and he would gasp for air and he would quit the holding his breath and usually start crying and everything would be OK after that and if I remember that pretty well broke him from holding his breath when he would get mad.
D.

I had a child who would do those kinds of things more and more when I wasn't giving him quite enough attention...it could be discipline or just needing some extra mommy time! My boy used to go into rages like that and I would know that he needed to be held close untill he pulled out...usually he would get into such a frenzy that it would scare me...then he would fall asleep in my arms and wake up sweet as can be! This would last a week or more and then he would start being irritable again...and little by little work him self up into rages again. Let him know that he is very loved and very safe! And choose your battles, this is likely just a 'stage' and will pass when he gains some self control...but do demand that he gain it over time!

My oldest daughter would do this when she was tired and or hungry she stopped when she got so mad one time she lost her breath fainted and hit the wall, I had to grap her up and take her outside and blow in her face. I'm guessing it scared her so bad that she didn't do it anymore. I had to make her take naps she is my strong willed child. she was no good without a nap so sometimes I had to hold her firmly and sing her to sleep. Thinking back on the whole ordeal must had been a funny sight. After reading some of the other responces because I didn't read all of them might would be a good idea to go to a neurologist if the water in face and blowing doesnt help.

Hello. My children are now 5,7 and 9 but let me just tell you when my first one did it, 911 was on there way as it was a very LONGGGGGGGGGG breath holding spell!! Long story short, very strong willed children I have, that's all it comes to. I did the whole 9 yards that everyone has mentioned thus far and everything came back negative, and with that I felt completely reassured!
Yes, it was scary, why me? I didn't understand, will this ever pass?
It did come to the point though like someone els did mention earlier where you did just have to ignore them, walk away (as hard as that is) after you make sure they are in a safe environment to complete their spell; so they don't hurt themselves. I know it can be extremely scary at times and disbelieving at times, because it truly looks like they are having a seizure; but they aren't.
One other thing I wanted to tell you is be sure whenever you leave your child with ANYONE untill he/she is out of this stage is very important that you share this stage that your child is going through so they are aware.
Good luck, and just know this too shall pass, I PROMISE!!

Hi, I don't have advice, but do want you to know you are not alone. I am a former preschool teacher and we had a child in the day care that did this. His teacher even brought him to me to try to "bring him to." It was scarey as it was the first time he did this at school. The mother told us he did this. I pray you will find the answers you are looking for.

I have a 2 yrs old boy with the same problem it happens only when he hurs himself they have told me ti hit hi or ignore hin but it doesn't work. I actually axked his pediatrician and he had no answer to my ?. I try to take care of him very closely to avoid this situation and thats about all i can do.
The only positive thing i can tell you about this situation is that now that he turned 2 and 1/2 years is less he hasnt had a spell since 2 months ago.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

I had one just like this.. His doctor told me to get a spry bottle and keep water in it and keep it in the icebox. He told me that anytime he pulled this stunt spray him and he would stop. Worked like a charm. My son would get so mad he would throw himself back on a slab (we lived ina brick home). Then he would just lay there and hold his breath turning blue. I had a wonderful old world doctor and this was his advice, so here I pass it on to you..
B., Mother of 3 granmother of 10

My son will be turning 12 in September. Yes, I've experienced the breath holding spells also. How scary it was for me and everyone around. He doesn't have them anymore unless he falls and hits his head or gets to upset. So far he doing fine. Thanks for this. I thought I was alone on that one two. L.

Wow. I have never heard of this. How scarey for you. When my daughter 17 mths crys so hard she doesn't breath we blow in her face. Not hard just a soft breeze. I don't know how it started but it makes her stop and breath when we do it.

J

My daughter was also a breathholder and she started it at 7 months. She held her breath when she was hurt or scared and it always seemed to be at the strangest times. we had her tested for all kinds of things and ofcourse they all came back negative. What I discovered later was that it occured most when she was tired. I read somewhere that when they are tired they can't controll their emotions and are more likely to hold their breath. So we just started watching her right before her naps and bedtime and tried to keep her from getting upset. She did have a time that she was passing out a lot but it all seemed to stop. She is now two and has passed out once in probably 9 months. Well good luck and I hope that it stops soon for your sake.

I was told to blow a huge puff of air into his face when my son did that.

Also - this sounds horrible but we were driving and my son did that and my husband for lack of any other option really (busy highway, no exit coming up and construction-fill shoulder) just reached back and clapped him on the cheek...not hard, just sharp. Like clapping your hands together. That worked too. *laughing*

After that I would just flick his cheek to make him take a breath and it worked and he soon stopped.

*shrug* A. <><

My Neice did that when she was little and the Doctor said to throw cold water or what ever you are drinking in their face to stun them and make them take a breath and come out of it. They usually do this when they are mad and throwing a fit.It seemed to work for her and she quit doing it.

Hello. I'm Shaena, mother of a three year old boy and 6 month old daughter. I'm the wife of a wonderful man with epilepsy. I hope I don't scare you with what I'm about to say! And I could be completely wrong so don't freak out too much.

Have you considered these breathing spells possibly being seizures? There are other types of seizures besides the typical convulsing types..but stiffing and holding of breathe is one of them!! You should at least check with a neurologist about this. I've seen my husband in 6 different kinds of seizures..and this stiffening and breath holding sounds very similar to what you're describing.

I'm way sorry if I'm wrong but I thought I should say something just in case..and because it's common that many parents don't realize that there's different kinds of seizures like that. I hope I'm of some help. I have a book called Living with Epilepsy. It goes over seizure disorders and other disorders that cause seizures that aren't epilepsy.

My daughter did this, too. We had her completely checked out by a neurologist and a cardiologist just to be she was "OK." Everything checked out fine and they recommended blowing in her face to make her take a breath.

I am SO sorry to hear about your situation. I cant imagine how strong you must be to deal with this!!! It sounds so scary! I apologize for being no help...what has your doctor said about it? Is he/she concerned? I'm praying for you!

Ditto on the water.
They say I did this when I was that age. The pediatrician told them to either pick me up and take me to the sink or just carry the water to me. But they threw very cold water in my face. They only had to do it a few times. I was the youngest of 4 kids and I think it took a few times because I tried it out on different family members. LOL

It is the shock and the unpleasantness of the cold. ;-)

My daughter is 14 months as well and does this too. Our Dr told us to blow a puff of air into her face, this has helped. Good luck.

This happened to me and I had no idea what it was or how to deal. I was ready to call 911 when he came to. (He fainted). He was about 14 months. I told my Pediatrician about it and she suggested that when you see this coming on, tickle his feet or blow air in his face or even tickle his stomach. This will take his attention off of being so upset or mad. It has worked for me. (I blow in his face). He is now going on three and has not had another episode. Good Luck, I know how scary it is.

My daughter and neice did this and both lasted until they were about 4 years old. We would blow in their face or tickle them and this would usually make them take a breath, but sometimes it wouldn't and we would have to lay them down and wait it out. Just be sure to lay your child down in a safe place, i.e. a low place with no sharp corners or stairs around. My neice fell down the stairs during one of hers (she was walking, not laying down) and my daughter fell off her bed once. I would suggest not holding the child because although I don't believe that breath-holding spells start as an attention mechanism and are instead a result of the child's inability to control their emotions, it is possible that the spells can develop into attention-getters if too muuch attention is given to them.

My son used to do the same thing when he was little. He is now 25 yrs old and fine! I used to blow in his face when he would get crying that hard, which helped sometimes, making him take a breath. Other times, he would actually pass out, and would start breathing again on his own. Just be there to catch him so he doesn't get hurt when he falls. Don't panic - they DO outgrow it!

Both my boys did it, and my niece did it. My older son and niece did it quite a bit... I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe when he does it, don't draw attention to it. They did it right around a year old.. Their faces would turn red red red... I freaked out when our older son did it, but I found it is quite normal. It will pass.....

Have you tried blowing into his face when he does this? It is suppose to startle them into breathing. Hope this helps.