My friend's little boy does this; it started when he was a few months old, then it stopped for a while, but has recently started again when he has a tantrum (he will be 3 next month). My friend was really scared to begin with, but knows he will be fine now. Now that he is older she has been told to make sure he is safe, then watch from a distance until he begins to come round (he blanks out completely), then leave the room so he hasn't got an audience - he will think he was on his own and hasn't got a reaction. He has recently done it on the stairs and in the bath, so obviously she had to stay with him then

Obviously it's different when they are smaller, as they don't understand, but at 3 the experts think it's a control/attention seeking device.

Hope that helps

My ds started to do this at about 8wks and it was to do with his severe reflux but how if he hurts himself or gets a bad fright he does it alot he is now 14months and it stil scares the hell out of me. I blow in his face and move him around and pat his chest anything to bring him out of it. Sometimes when he does it you think he has come round and he then goes off on one again. After the episode has finished he is quite and subdued for a while.Its really unpleasant and my other child never did anything like this so its new to me.

i had this wen i was lil they told my mum if i go blue i will automatically start breathing again,i remember one time i was crying and ma family all standing there shouting breathe ! my mum was always terrified though

It is really common in lo's, but can be very frightening. The baby/ toddler basically holds his/her breath when he/ she gets upset and can go very blue. He/ she will start breathing again, and usually lasts a few seconds (though can seem much longer!) It won't do him/her any harm. What you can do if it happens again is either pick him/her up, or blow into his/her face - don't shake him. He/she will grow out of it!

Morning everyone.

I was wondering if anyone knew much about breath holding syndrome? Last night the doctors have said my ds2 (6months) has this.

Since he was born, anytime he cries or gets a fright, he holds his breath for around 5 seconds. Last night my dd screamed and ds2 got a fright, he tried to let out a cry but no noise came out, he stppped breathing, and started to turn blue, I had to idea what to do, I just went into panic mode (not good I know, but as never experienced this, I was in shock). His eyes started rolling into the back of his head, and his body was rigid, his eyes where then open really wide and I couldn't see his iris at all, it was like they had become fully dialated, he then went all floppy. I was screaming, ds1 and dd were screaming, dp came in and checked his airways, and as I was about to dial 999 he was breathing again, but a little fast. This whole episode lasted for around a minute, although it felt like hours. Within a minute of breathing again, he was fine, smiling away as though nothing had happened. I phoned NHS 24 and they sent an ambulance round which was here in about 7 mins. He got checked over in hospital (heart, temp, pulse etc) and he's perfectly fine, but the doc says this could happen till he's about 4 years old. They said he'll always start breathing again, something in his brain will trigger him to breathe.

Has anyone else's child got this? I had never heard of it. I'll be terrified it happens when I'm on my own. Any advice?

xxxxx Emma xxxxx