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Holding Their Breath After the Sobs Subside
Should Parents Be Concerned When Children Hold Their Breath?
By Shannon McKelden
Most episodes last from 30 to 60 seconds, with the child recovering with a deep breath and then normalizing. While they may be frightened and continue to cry, unless they fall when fainting and injure themselves that way, in almost all cases, there is no physical danger.
"When [my daughter] started doing this, a bit before her first birthday, we took her to the doctor," Atkins says. "[The physician] said that she would ... probably outgrow [the behavior] between the ages of 2 and 4, and that it was nothing to be concerned about in her case."
For the Atkins family, it was reassuring to know there was no medical reason for the behavior, as it continued to be fairly common. "For a while she was breath holding and passing out multiple times per day," Atkins says. "Now (she'll be 2 in June) she does it once or twice a week."
Once you have assured yourself that nothing is seriously wrong with your child, then what? Most important is to make sure they are safe from physical harm during an episode. Injuries from falls are more concerning than the episodes themselves. Oce their safety is assured, then how should parents react – or not react – to breath holding?
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