First ER Visit - Breath Holding spell?

Let me start by saying all is well (that we know), but we had our first trip to the ER tonight. Very scary stuff. It was about 6:30 pm and my mom and friend N were over to visit. We spent a wonderful few hours in the backyard/pool and had just finished dinner. The actual event itself is a bit blurry with all of us having a slightly different take. My version is that Max was going for City Boy who was on the table, but Shadow was in the way and he tripped trying to get around Shadow and fell. N says she just saw him crumble, but don’t think he hit his head. My mom didn’t see anything, just heard him scream.

Here is the version we all agree on. Max screamed and I picked him up. I was looking him over to see if there was blood or if I could see a bump or bruise to tell what happened. Nerre said, why isn’t he gasping. My mom said, he’s not breathing. I looked at him and his mouth was open, but nothing was coming out. I gave him a shake, but he was still limp in my arms. I gave him mouth to mouth and the first breath did nothing. On the second breath, he started breathing and screaming. We all thought it lasted about 20 – 40 seconds. N had gotten up to call 911 when I got him breathing again.

He seemed fine afterwards, but a bit wobbly, after I had calmed him down. However, we were all a bit panicked and crying at this point so admittedly, it could have just me projecting that on him since that is how I felt. I called Max’s pedestrian, who just happened to be on-call this weekend, and he said just to be safe, go check him out.

The ER doctor checked him out and called the pedestrian on call for the hospital and THINK it was probably a “Breath Holding Spell”. He said it could have been a seizure or something else, but without being there and seeing it they don’t know for sure. The ER doctor said that it was unlikely that he hadn’t breathed for 30 seconds because he would have changed colors like purple or blue and we all agree that he didn’t. It is very likely that it wasn’t that long, but just felt that way. I asked the doc what would have happened if I hadn’t given him CPR would he have started breathing on his own, he said likely if it was a breath holding spell.

All I can say is that it was truly a very frightening experience. Of course, my biggest fear for him has always been SIDS or suffocation so this just plays into my darkest fears for him. Needless to say, he is sleeping in the co-sleeper in my room tonight so I can keep a good eye on him.

The ER doc said that he looked healthy and fine and I agree. He really was a trouper through the whole ordeal to the hospital. Yes, he was active and fidgety and wanting to check everything out, but even tired and past his bedtime, he didn’t fuss or get bent out of shape. The kid is portable.

I have to say that ER got him in QUICK. I filled out paperwork, sat down for about three minutes was listening to a lady who was there with her son (who I saw again on the way out) ask this guy how long he had been waiting and he said over an hour (he cut his arm with glass from a window) and they hadn’t given him anything for pain. There were about 10 people waiting. We were called right back and seen promptly by the screening nurse and then the ER doctor. I feel really good about the care and promptness and they were busy, just in the time we were waiting, at least 4 ambulances pulled in with patients.

Holy cow am I still a bit freaked. I sure hope that is all it was and nothing too serious. I will have to do some research tomorrow on this, but I am just too wiped out right now and I don’t want to misread or misinterpret anything as a result.