BREATH HOLDING IN INFANTS

Breath-holding spells in infants.

QUESTION I have children in my clinic who experience seizurelike episodes in which they cry and hold their breath to the point of cyanosis and loss of consciousness. Their examination or investigation findings are normal and referral to a pediatric specialist results in no further investigation. Are breath-holding spells common, and what type of investigation is needed? ANSWER A breath-holdin...

The limits of breath holding.

Breath-holding and its breakpoint.

This article reviews the basic properties of breath-holding in humans and the possible causes of the breath at breakpoint. The simplest objective measure of breath-holding is its duration, but even this is highly variable. Breath-holding is a voluntary act, but normal subjects appear unable to breath-hold to unconsciousness. A powerful involuntary mechanism normally overrides voluntary breath-h...

Breath-holding in a marijuana smoker

It is vital to ask about illicit drug smoking in the respiratory history as marijuana smoking augments the detrimental effects of tobacco. We describe the case of a 28 year old marijuana smoker who developed a pneumothorax during a breath-holding competition. Pneumothorax is a common clinical entity that every physician should be aware of how to manage and lifetime risk is considerably increase...

Increased QT dispersion in breath-holding spells.

AIM Breath-holding spells are common in infancy and early childhood, and patients are frequently referred to paediatric cardiology clinics for exclusion of heart disease. Recent data reveal subsequent development of epilepsy and neurocardiogenic syncope. Autonomic dysregulation and increased vagal stimulation leading to cardiac arrest and cerebral ischaemia is considered as the cause. Iron defi...