Breath-Holding Spells
I didn’t actually see what happened, but I heard a sound like one of our little plastic stools falling and I turned around to see Ila laying on the floor. She hadn’t been on anything and couldn’t have been hurt badly. Ila looked like she was about to cry (you know that silent inhale that comes before the scream look). I picked her up and her body suddenly went completely limp. I started calling her name and trying to wake her. It was probably only 30 seconds that she lost consciousness, but it was terrifying. As soon as she became conscious she seemed confused and tired and her breathing was strange (short irregular breaths).
This was the second time that this has happened. The first time was maybe a few weeks ago. I was in the kitchen and she was on her knees holding onto my leg and her hand slipped and she fell forward and bumped her head. She had that same deep inhale before a scream look and a loss of consciousness and sleepiness afterwards.
When I explained what happened to Zach, he did some research and sent me a link about Breath-holding Spells. The description in his link was exactly what I experienced, and as I read I saw that there was a link between Breath-holding Spells and iron deficiency. Just before we left Tennessee, our pediatrician tested Ila’s blood and reported that she had an iron deficiency and prescribed an iron supplement. Unfortunately, I have been bad at remembering to give her the prescribed daily dose. I gave her a dose and committed in my head to make remembering a priority. I also think it’s time I set up an appointment with a pediatrician.
Kathleen, that is TERRIFYING. I hope that’s all it was and that the iron supplement works! Yikes!
I would like to email you my daughters story melissanormart@gmail.com
Her story: July 5, 2009 I became a mother to a handsome little 3 pound baby boy. My Charles spent the first few weeks of his life in the Niccu hook up on tubes while I got to go home. I knew he would be here early since I started labor at 24 weeks he came into this world just at 33 ½ weeks. When my son was six months old I had found out I was going to have another baby. Scared of the outcome of going through another premature birth I was hesitating on going through this pregnancy but I just couldn’t find it in me to terminate my pregnancy. September 16, 2010 I gave birth to a beautiful 4 pound baby girl I named her Aaliyah.
My life was complete I was so madly in love with my little family I enjoyed seeing my kids learning how to crawl, talk, walk trying new things being a mother was just wonderful. September 19, 2011 just three days after my Liyah’s first birthday is a day that will haunt me tell my very last breathe. I walked in to the room seeing my daughter standing up on her new toddler bed I told her â€Liyah sit down you’re going to fall baby girl†as I was walking toward her she flipped head first crushing her neck and spine. As I went to pick her up there was no sound no cry coming from her little body she wasn’t breathing she wasn’t moving my baby girl was lifeless. Paramedics arrived got vitals still unsure what was going on with her rushed her to children’s hospital.
There they did blood work and also a CT scan of her head and x-ray of her spine. Both test came back okay she was sent home with a concussion and I was told for the first night wake her up every two hours she was also prescribed ibuprofen for the pain. After her accident I felt like there was something different about my princess every time she got any kind of emotion or would get hurt she just looked like she couldn’t breathe. The beginning of November I was changing her diaper she was really fussy and didn’t like the idea of being changed well her cry had turned into a dry cry her back arched face turned blue chest gave a few jerksbody was stiff as a board and jaw locked then completely past out. Once again I saw my child lifeless still not over her accident of picking my child up thinking she had passed away my emotions I just can’t even explain. This time at children’s they diagnosed her having breathe holding spells never hearing about this I did research and found out that Breath-holding spells can be terrifying for parents. Just as the name implies, kids hold their breath until they pass out. This phenomenon, which can happen in healthy children between 6 months and 6 years old, is most common around age 2. Although disturbing to those who witness them, breath-holding spells aren’t harmful and pose no serious health risks. A spell typically lasts only a few seconds before a child regains consciousness and resumes breathing normally. In most cases, breath-holding spells can be predicted and even prevented once triggers are identified, and kids usually outgrow them by age 5. Breath-holding spells differ by cause and characteristics: Cyanotic breath-holding spells happen when a child stops breathing and turns blue in the face. These spells are often triggered by something that upsets the child, like being disciplined. Parents who have witnessed prior cyanotic spells know exactly when another one is about to occur because the child’s face slowly turns a shade of blue, ranging from light blue to almost purple. Pallid breath-holding spells are less common and more unpredictable because they happen after a child has gotten a sudden fright or startle (like being surprised from behind). Unlike with cyanotic spells, kids turn very pale, almost white, during the spell. Both types of spells cause kids to stop breathing and lose consciousness for up to a minute. In the most extreme cases, kids have seizures. Having a seizure does not cause any long-term harm or put a child at risk of developing a seizure disorder.
Liyah has all the types that is what makes hers abnormal and dangerous. I have watched videos on this and none even look like my daughters spells. I’ve also spoke to a few other parents via email whose children have passed away from this condition one child past away during their sleep were the child had a spell during the child’s sleep another three hours after a spell and another during a spell the child could not start breathing again. my daughters done every test they can do from Nero test to cardiac test x-rays of her body Mris of her head everything coming back normal going home with the answers there nothing you can do but wait for your child to outgrow this that’s if she makes it to outgrow this. As a parent my heart is broken I live in fear of losing my child even though 99% of the time she’s fine and most doctors say there not harmful. I wake up threw out the night just to put my hand on her chest to make sure she’s breathing I’m her mother and I feel like I can’t even protect my own child from this. I wanted to get my child’s story out there I want to share in case others are going through this I know most people haven’t even heard of breath holding spells. She still has a few more test to finalize her diagnose to rule anything else or if anything is associated with her spells. There’s been so many prayers sent her way and they mean so much I’ve got to a point to where I left my daughters fate in god’s hands I feel that’s all I can do. My Liyah is beautiful little girly girl who is very smart loves to carry her purse and wear her bracelets she loves to laugh and she brings so much joy into my life and her brother’s life. I know my daughter isn’t ready to fly with the angels yet I’m determining to make sure she lives to her fifth birthday and many more. I made a promise when I decided to have my children to never stop fighting for them that I would give them the world when I had my children I choose to forever have my heart walk out side of my body now my heart is heavy with fear. I’ve learned to put that fear aside so that I can survive and be there for my children and when there are days I can’t put it aside I just get on my knees and pray. I pray that this obstacle in my family life will pass I pray one day we don’t have to worry about my child’s life at risk.