Many of us have heard stories about stubborn or willful toddlers
who hold their breath until they turn blue in the face. These
tales might sound like amusing anecdotes of little ones in their
"terrible two's" phase, but to the parents of these toddlers
they're not so funny. Breath-holding spells can be terrifying
for parents. As the name implies, kids hold their breath until
they pass out. This phenomenon, which can happen in healthy
children between 6 months and 6 years old, is most common around
age 2. Although disturbing to those who witness them, breath-
holding spells aren't harmful and pose no serious health risks.
A spell typically lasts only a few seconds before a child
regains consciousness and resumes breathing normally. In most
cases, breath-holding spells can be predicted and even prevented
once triggers are identified, and kids usually outgrow them by
age 5 or 6. Types of Breath-Holding Spells Breath-holding spells
differ by cause and characteristics: Cyanotic breath-holding
spells happen when a c