CHILD’S HEALTH/SPECIFIC PROBLEMS BEHAVIOURS: TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF BREATH-HOLDING
Investigations
It is important to differentiate breath-holding episodes from actual seizures. Normally this can be done on the basis of a careful history, but the doctor may want to order an EEG (electroencephalogram) in order to be certain.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for breath-holding episodes. Parents should try to stay calm during the episode. Make sure the child is in a safe position where he cannot roll off the bed or fall off a chair. Do not slap the child or splash water onto his face. Breath-holding episodes never cause any lasting harm to the child, and always disappear as he grows older. The main intervention is to reassure the parents, for whom these episodes are as frightening as a convulsion.
Some parents will be confident enough to take these episodes in their stride; others will want a medical check-up to ensure that there is no underlying medical condition. You should not hesitate to see your doctor if you are concerned, even though there is no treatment that can be recommended.
Prevention
Little can be done to prevent breath-holding attacks. While in theory it might be possible to minimise frustration for the child, in practice, of course, this is impossible. Do not change your parenting style radically in the hope of preventing these attacks from occurring.
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Tags: General health