About breath-holding spells. Breath-holding usually happens when babies or children: are crying; are frightened or upset; have had a minor accident and have gone into shock. These children will cry, then catch their breath and 'hold' it without breathing. read more
Breath holding in children is rarely dangerous. They can’t hold their breath long enough to cause brain damage, because they will pass out and resume breathing long before that is a concern. If you find that your child is holding your breath, do your best to remain calm. read more
The spells don’t hurt the children, and many outgrow them by age 6 or 7. Breath-holding spells come in two types. With cyanotic spells, a child’s face turns blue. With pallid spells, she becomes pale. Cyanotic spells are more common. Causes. Often, a breath-holding attack starts with crying in reaction to pain, fear, or anger. read more