Patient's question:
I want to ask a few questions about a 3-year-old girl who feels out of breath whenever she cries. Why is that? About her past treatment and effectiveness: None. What kind of assistance is needed: What disease is it; is it serious?Doctor's answer:
Mom, the symptoms you described for your baby are likely recurrent breath-holding spells. This condition often occurs in infants aged 6 to 18 months. Breath-holding episodes frequently recur during sudden emotional changes, such as anger, fear, severe pain, or intense screaming. It is often accompanied by hyperventilation, which suppresses the respiratory center. During crying spells, breath-holding can lead to cerebral vasodilation, brain hypoxia, and may cause fainting, loss of consciousness, bluish lips, or even convulsions. The symptoms usually resolve after about one minute of breathing recovery. I recommend having your baby undergo an echocardiogram.