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Breath-Holding Spells, Pediatric

Nailah Coleman, MD, FAAP, FACSM Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Breath-holding spells are the general term for emotionally provoked attacks that occur in young children. These attacks can progress from a strong emotion to “breath holding” to decr...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Important to elicit history of 
  • Provocation by anger, pain, or frustration

  • Altered respiratory effort, decreased responsiveness, and altered muscle tone (either limpness or stiffness)

  • La...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Reassurance is the primary treatment. 

MEDICATION

  • No medication has been found to be definitively useful in preventing or treating breath-holding spells.

  • It is important to note...

ONGOING CARE

PATIENT EDUCATION

The primary goal for ongoing care is parental education as to the natural history of breath-holding spells. 

PROGNOSIS

  • As they are a benign condition, isolated breath-holdi...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Azab SF, Siam AG, Saleh SH, et al. Novel findings in breath-holding spells: a cross-sectional study. Medicine (Baltimore).  2015;94(28):e1150. [View Abstract on OvidInsights]

  • Di...

CODES

ICD9

  • 786.9 Other symptoms involving respiratory system and chest

ICD10

  • R06.89 Other abnormalities of breathing

SNOMED

  • 90091006 Breath holding with temper (finding)

FAQ

  • Q: What is the age range of the typical child with breath-holding spells?

  • A: The typical age range of the child with breath-holding spells is 1 to 5 years of age.

  • Q: What is the typical provocation ...

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