Are Seizures Characterized By Shortness Of Breath?

Breath-holding spells are frightening but innocuous episodic events that can affect infants and young children. There are two clinical types: blue breath-holding spells, which occur when a child’s breathing pattern changes, and reflex anoxic seizures, which occur when a child’s heart rate slows down. These spells are most common in children with benign neurological examination findings and those who meet age.

Pale spells, also known as pallid breath-holding spells, are less common than blue spells and are less common than blue spells. They are caused by a slow heart rate and are often mistaken for seizures. A brief seizure may occur, but after a few seconds, breathing resumes and normal skin color and consciousness return.

Breath-holding spells are short spells of time during which a child stops breathing and are commonly mistaken for seizures. The most common age for a spell is between 12 and 18 months old. Both types of spells can make kids pass out for up to a minute, and in the most extreme cases, they might have seizures.

Some children also have seizures during breath-holding spells, but this does not mean they have a seizure disorder. Breath-holding spells are usually harmless and last for less than 1 minute. Children with breath-holding spells do not have epilepsy, as they may look like epileptic seizures. Symptoms include paleness, stoppage of breathing, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

What is the difference between breath-holding and reflex anoxic seizures?

Breath-holding is a condition where a child stops breathing for up to 1 minute and may faint. It can occur when a child is frightened, upset, angry, or experiences sudden shock or pain. Symptoms of breath-holding include a child’s fainting, stiffness, shaking, or jerking, and sudden changes in their lips, tongue, face, or skin color. These symptoms may be symptoms of breath-holding or related to other serious conditions. Breath-holding can be harmless but can be frightening for parents, especially when the child is the first time experiencing it.

Are breath-holding spells neurological?

Breath-holding spells, which affect up to 5 of all infants, are benign but can be frightening for children and caregivers. They occur in children with benign neurological findings and those meeting age-appropriate developmental milestones. These episodes usually follow an inciting event, such as discipline, anger, or irritability, followed by crying and breath-holding, resulting in loss of consciousness. Distracting the child and avoiding triggers can reduce these episodes.

Understanding the pathophysiology and differential diagnosis of breath-holding spells is essential to rule out other pathological conditions. This activity reviews the evaluation of breath-holding episodes and the interprofessional team’s role in managing this condition and educating parents.

What are 3 signs of a seizure?

Epilepsy is a brain condition causing seizures, affecting people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds. It occurs when abnormal electrical signals interrupt normal brain connections, causing a burst of abnormal electrical activity in one or more parts of the brain. This can be caused by high fever, high or low blood sugar, alcohol or drug withdrawal, or a brain concussion. However, when a person has two or more seizures with no known cause, they are diagnosed with epilepsy. There are two main categories of epileptic seizures: focal (partial) seizure and generalized seizure. The type of seizure depends on the affected part and the events during the seizure.

Is a breath-holding spell a seizure?

Breath-holding spells are short periods of time when a child stops breathing, often mistaken for seizures. These spells are common in neurologically healthy toddlers, typically occurring between 12 and 18 months old. There are two types of breath-holding spells, which can occur in the same child at different times and are defined by the child’s color during the spell. About 1 in 25 children experience this condition during their first few years of life.

Can you get a seizure from holding your breath?

Holding your breath can cause carbon dioxide buildup in your body to cross the blood-brain barrier, increasing your body’s desire to inhale and exhale. If you don’t breathe, you may experience seizures, faint, or brain injury. If you hold your breath for too long, you may pass out, potentially hitting your head or falling. If someone passes out from holding their breath and doesn’t wake up, they may need emergency medical attention. If they are not breathing, start CPR and call 911. If they are breathing and not injured, lay them on their back and hold their legs up. If they don’t wake up after one minute, call 911.

What can be mistaken for a seizure?

Movement disorders, such as Tourette’s syndrome, are often mistaken for partial seizures, causing uncontrolled tics like grunting, clearing throats, or cursing. These tics may include repetitive movements like eye blinks, head jerks, and grimaces. Children with movement disorders do not lose consciousness and are aware of their uncontrollable movements, with newborn babies often exhibiting a “startle reflex”.

What is a chill seizure?

A seizure is a sudden, intense, and potentially fatal event that can cause a child to experience a range of symptoms. It can be a tonic seizure, where the child’s body stiffens and appears shivering or cold chilling. The muscles do not relax until the seizure is over, and the child may fall. After the seizure, the child may become limp, urinate, have bowel movements, or vomit, marking the start of the post-ictal phase. During this period, the child may be confused, in a “fighting” mood, or struggle to wake up.

They may also sleep for several hours. When the child wakes up, they may not remember the seizure and may experience tiredness, headache, or sore muscles. Both types of seizures can lead to serious health issues and can be life-threatening.

What is the difference between breath holding and seizures?

It is erroneous to assume that breath-holding spells, which may resemble epileptic seizures, are indicative of epilepsy. Such episodes typically manifest in response to frustration, startlement, or injury and are exclusive to instances when the child is awake and in a standing position. In contrast, epilepsy can manifest at any time, and there is no increased risk of children with breath-holding spells subsequently developing epilepsy.

Do breath-holding spells have long term effects?

Breath-holding spells are typically benign and do not result in long-term damage. They tend to dissipate over time.

What is a quiet seizure?

Absence seizures are sudden, brief lapses of consciousness, more common in children than adults. They can cause a vacant stare, which may be mistaken for a brief lapse in attention, lasting about 10 seconds or as long as 30 seconds. The person typically returns to alertness quickly. Although absence seizures usually don’t cause physical injury, they can result during the period when the person loses consciousness, especially if driving or riding a bike. Anti-seizure medicines can usually control these seizures. Many children outgrow absence seizures in their teens.

Are breath-holding spells linked to autism?

Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered a way to prevent breath holding episodes associated with Rett syndrome, a developmental disorder affecting around 1 in10, 000 young girls. The disorder, which includes repetitive hand movements, digestive and bowel problems, seizures, learning disability, and social withdrawal, is a debilitating disease. The researchers used a unique combination of drugs to find that the area of the brain that allows breathing to persist without interruption has reduced levels of a transmitter substance called aminobutyric acid. This could help prevent the potentially fatal breath holding episodes associated with Rett syndrome.