When Your Child Has Breath Holding Spells

During a breath-holding spell, your child holds his or her breath for a while before briefly losing consciousness. Breath-holding spells often happen after a trauma or an emotional upset. They occur most often in children under age 3. Breath-holding spells can be scary for both parents and children. But they are not usually a serious problem. And they often stop by the time your child is 5 or 6 years old.