Patient's question:
There is a little girl, about 8 months old when she was born. When she cries, she cries desperately. But once, she cried and cried, and then it was as if she had stopped breathing, with no movement at all. However, after a while, she woke up on her own and stopped crying. So, to prevent her from crying, we always try to comfort her and minimize her crying. But now she is almost two years old and has started talking. Her voice is a bit hoarse, and we worry that it might be a result of her crying too hard. There have been a few similar incidents since then. I wonder if this could be a sign of something serious?Doctor's answer:
Hello, breath-holding syndrome in children is not uncommon and is one manifestation of child hysteria, classified as a psychological disorder. This condition typically occurs in children aged 6 months to 3 years and is often triggered when a child's demands are not met or when they are startled. Due to the temporary cessation of respiratory movement in affected children, hypoxia symptoms are prominent. Hypoxia can lead to transient loss of brain function, resulting in confusion, convulsions, and incontinence of urine and feces. Since it is a reflexive respiratory pause, breathing can resume with a cry after stimulation by hypoxia or carbon dioxide, or through artificial stimulation of the philtrum.To prevent breath-holding syndrome in children, the key lies in educating the child. It is important not to punish or scare the child, nor to indulge them or comply with their unreasonable demands. Additionally, parents should not avoid educating or engaging with a child who has breath-holding syndrome. Instead, they should actively guide the child to participate in group activities, encourage interaction with peers, and foster a sense of sharing. This will help cultivate a cheerful and optimistic personality, overcoming the child's self-centered "little emperor" mentality, thereby preventing breath-holding syndrome at its root.
Of course, if breath-holding syndrome occurs, parents need not panic. They should place the child in a quiet, supine position, loosen their clothing, and apply finger pressure to the philtrum to alleviate the symptoms.