breath holding spells

So Lily had a well-child doctor appointment today and everything looks good!  She is a happy, healthy 15 month old..with the emphasis on the 15 month old.  "Happy" and "healthy" are liable to change on a moment's notice, dependent on naps, teething, etc.  Lily is weighing in at 23 lbs, 3 oz, 30" long and wearing mostly 18 month clothes.  I no longer have a baby *sigh* I have a toddler who is looking more and more a little girl.  On a typical day, Lily and I leave work between 1130-12, she's asleep 5 minutes after I get in the car and we go home.  Once we're home, I transfer her to her crib where she sleeps anywhere from 2.5-4 hours, normally 3.5, though.  After struggling with her not sleeping through the night from months 5-12, and only catnaps since birth (an hour was a huge accomplishment), I realize I am blessed with a good sleeper, but feel I did pay at least partial dues with a poor sleeper.  When we have to run errands, she dozes on the way to the store or wherever and then decently happy until we get back in the car and head home where we pick up where we should with napping.  

Today however.  She and I both had doctor's appointments.  Mine was at 115 and hers was at 2.  No, I didn't plan that, I just forgot I had made her an appointment already when I scheduled mine.  I ended up rescheduling mine, but as you can see, a 2pm appointment for Lily is clearly cutting into nap time.  And when the doctor is running late and you don't get seen until 3...you have a grumpy baby on your hands.  Poor Lily.

Did I mention before that Lily has passed out on two occasions?  If I have, old news.  If I haven't, new information: Lily has passed out before.  Once when a friend was watching her and once when I was watching and got to see it first hand and actually see her pass out.  Ever since she was born, when she's been incredibly tired and upset, she'll cry without taking a breath.  And within the past 2 months, she's passed out from this.  Which is incredibly unsettling to watch your 1 year old be unresponsive, flop back, start screaming (ah, oxygen to the lungs!) and then look at you with a completely dazed expression of "what in the world was that!?"  My sister used to pass out on occasion, so I KNOW what people look like when they pass out.  After telling the doctor about this, she said it sounded like "breath holding spells."  The definition on the handout she gave me:

-- breath holding is preceded by an upsetting event, such as being frustrated angry, injured or frightened. check.

-- your child gives out one or two long cries and then holds her breath in expiration until the lips turn blueish.  check (and the point where I started to panic).

-- your child passes out.  yup.  check.

-- your child then resumes normal breathing (check) and becomes fully alert in less than a minute.  check.

-- onset is between 6 months and 2 years old.  check.  the attacks occur while the child is awake.  check and check.

Basically, nothing to be concerned about yet.  Sounds like something that kids outgrow and that is typically a learned behavior.  Since she's been doing it since birth, I don't think it was really learned..but it can turn into something learned later if we don't stay on top of it and try and stop it sooner rather than later.  But, as I said, kids outgrow it, typically by 5-6.    

All that to say, if you have ever seen Lily cry to the point of not breathing, we now know the cause!  YAY!  And that it isn't something to be too concerned about, just to keep an eye on. 

Sorry that was a long ramble.  If you got bored, hopefully you stopped reading before now!

All is well, here though!  See, look at me trying to blog more!