8 Month Old Fainting

I have a friend who's 6 mo old was crying in pain then passing out. They did a sonogram and found that his bowel was collapsing on him, like a telescope. They had to blow air up his rectum to get it all stretched out again and that did the trick. Do you think it could be that?

I definitely would be finding a new doctor!! And have you looked into an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist. They should be able to help decide if it is a Reflux problem especially if it only has happened after the child has eaten and then lies down. It is extreemly WISE to get second and third opinions!!! I hope this helps some...E.

Hi N.! One of my four children had 4 of these episodes when she was little. Each time we were told it was a "breath holding episode". They explained to us that it is a reflex and they are ok. You might want to look that up. After our daughters second episode we took her to the ER and they did a CAT scan just to be sure and it was fine. My neighbors daughter also did the same thing and the doctor told her the difference between breath holding and a seizure is that you do not stop breathing during a seizure. I hope this helps. Take Care!

Not to scare you but i'm a peds nurse and pretty sure she's having a seizure. that scream is called a myoclonic jerk. get a referral from your pediatrician for an EEG. good luck!

If you aren't satisfied with what the doctor has suggested, I would look into getting a second opinion. Is there a children's hospital near you where you could get your daughter checked out?
I am not the overprotective parent who takes my kids to the dr. every time they have the sniffles, but if something just didn't set well with me I would most definitely pursue it. What would it hurt to get your daughter checked? (and if it is the same prognosis, then at least it will make you feel a bit better knowing for sure what is causing it) I wish you the best!!!

I have NEVER heard of this being a reaction to Reflux.
I would take her to another Dr. and or Childrens hospital. Like one other person said make a notebook with everything in it for the day it happens, (ie) Date: Time: What time she ate last, What did she have to eat or drink the entire day. Did she go poo poo just before it happend. Where it happened, what was she doing when it happened, what were her actions when it happened, how did she act right after it happens. Is she sleepy, cranky or anything else.

Please get her checked again.

D.

Has your doctor ruled our seizures? My daughter was two when we realized she was having seizures and it explained alot that had been going on in the past. Do your own research. You can always ask for a EEG, just to be sure.

reflux? seriously? that's really wierd...i've never heard of that...but i don't know much. i would research it online- find out how common this is in babies with reflux (because reflux is VERY common - i'd think more people would know about the potential for blacking out from it) it seems to be somewhat of a stock answer for dr's...mine told me my son had reflux when i really am convinced he just didn't stop eating when he was full, so he spit up all the excess. he still do this day doesn't seem to notice when he's full. wierd kid! (although i admit eating so much would probably cause heartburn...!)

My son had a very severe case of reflux which continued until puberty. He NEVER passed out. He cried and cried, but never really screamed. I could actually hear the fluid going up and down his esophogus after he ate. Passing out is not a symptom that he ever experienced. I would keep digging for another answer. God bless in this very trying time.

Hello! How terrifying for your family! My daughter had acid reflux so I know quite a bit about it. My daughters symptoms included screaming, extreme fussiness and discomfort. It sounds like your little one is quite the happy baby though! Does she spit up a lot? You don't have to spit up to have reflux, but if she is aspirating any of that fluid into her lungs that MAY be the reason she is passing out?? I would look into having an upper GI done or some sort of testing to rule out aspiration. Having any fluid in the lungs can be rather serious and lead to chest infection and other complications. I am a member of an internet forum dedicated to acid reflux. It might be a good place for you to find further support. Let me know if you would like the address.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I hope they find the problem really soon. I haven't experienced this. I suggest keeping a journal of anything and everything you can think of just in case you have to do more searching for an answer.

Suzi

Hello -
I am so sorry to hear about this very scary event happening to your child. Both of my twin sons had reflux. While your daughter may indeed have reflux, I can almost guarantee reflux is not causing her to faint. Babies with reflux absolutely scream out in pain- that is accurate. However, I have never known any baby to faint because of reflux. So it sounds like perhaps she has reflux AND something else going on. A pediatric neurologist can see her and likely diagnose whatever is going on. They will probably do an EEG which looks at the brain activity and function. It is not at all painful, no needles or scary stuff. They stick(with medical adhesive) small electrodes to the scalp and they measure the brain activity quickly and painlessly. Some are done while the child is asleep, some are not, it depends on what type would provide the info the doctor is looking for. Most babies care less that it is being done. I would also Google anything related to siezures as well. It sounds scary, however, the medical field can treat almost all siezure disorders now and a siezure disorder does not mean that your child will be impaired. Your child will by monitored again by an EEG (an EEG can range in time from a few minutes to several minutes) and if she does have a siezure disorder it will show up on the EEG and you will be taught what to do. Siezure disorders are almost always treated with medication. Fainting is never normal especially in babies. A second avenue to think about is a cardiologist. If her heart is skipping a beat (this is called arrhythmia -pronounced a-rith-mia)it can temporarily cause her to black out(faint)because her system is so small. You would want to find out if it skipping more than one beat to. Siezure disorders and an arrhythmia are rarely if ever related, I just wanted to give as much info as possible. I don't mean to imply she may have both. Hope this helps. This is a scary time, but don't give up until you are satisfied that you have an accurate diagnosis and she stops fainting.

Hi N.,
My daughter did the same thing that you describe your little girl is doing when she was a couple of months old. They diagnosed her with Reflux as well. She had to take a 1/4 tsp of Zantac in the morning. Once she started taking Zantac she didn't have anymore spells. She took Zantac up until she was about 2years of age. She is now 7years old and has had no issues.

K. W

Hello, My son is 30 now. When he was a baby he cried so hard that he turned blue and passed out several times. I took him to the emergency room and talked to the doctor about it. The doctor told me it was his Temper. The doctor said, "He has a bad temper". My son grew out it. It was very frightening when my son used to do this. The doctor told me not to over react. Doc told me to Lay my son in a safe place so he didn't fall and as soon as he passes out that he will start breathing again. It worked and my son never did it again. I'm not saying this is what is causing your baby to pass out, but this is what happened to me.

I'm also a nurse, and my very first reaction was a seizure. Please get a second opinion, seek out a pediatric neurologist, also rule out any cardiac issues. Good luck and let us know what happens.

I would keep looking for an nnswer

Dear N.,

The only knowledge and/or experiences I have had with this type of situation is with older children and adults. Many times just as an epileptic seizure is about to occur the person will scream. I have no experience or knowledge about epilepsy in infants. Has your baby's doctor considered epilepsy as a possibility? You did not say in your note if this was one of the tests done. I would check it out. Also, some people do pass out or fall into a deep sleep imediately following a seizure. Ask your doctor to look into it or refer you to a neurologist. Wish you all the best and stay in prayer.

This sounds similar to something my sister has gone through with my nephew who has seizures. I know she would be happy to talk with you about their experiences. Let me know if you would like to get in touch with her.

At a gym I work at we have a little boy that has done this since he was born. Loud noises use to set it off then it became behavioral. His dad told us that he will scream and quit breathing, pass out and just to leave him because shortly his body will take over and he will breathe just fine. he does it less and less as he gets older he's 3 now. I could get more info from them if you would like. I know they would gladly talk to you if you wanted. Let me know.Also, you really should consider another doctor. It seems like when you lay her done something might cause this to happen. My cousin couldn't walk up steps w/o passing out due to a hole in her heart they didn't find until she was 20, same thing with a lady at the gym and exercising her and her daughter had repairs to their heart for passing out--totally fixable. Try not to worry too much but definitely get it really checked out.

Hi N.,

My son had reflux his first year of life. I had it for two years. I went throuh baruim studies, biopsies and upper GI endoscopy. Thankfully my son didn't have to experience that. I know that reflux can cause wheezing in severe cases but to completely cut oxygen completely. I don't think so. Aspiration ( vomiting during sleep and inhailing into the lungs), can ocur which is why keeping them elevated while they sleep is important. My son and I are over it now. I wanted to tell you that I have never heard of reflux causing a child to pass out. I have alot of medical knowledge and I don't believe this is the reason for her fainting. I believe it is a coincedence that your child has reflux, but is not the cuase for passing out. Your child isn't fainting she is passing out. Fainting does not cause a person to turn blue. A lack of oxygen will though. If you had to give her CPR, your child has a serious situation ocuring. She screams because it scares her before she stops breathing, because she feels it coming and she can't tell you. With a severe chest cold I could see her having difficulty breathing but you were changing her diaper and she was having fun just before it happened. she could have a circulation problem somewhere. What first came to mind is a blocked liver shunt. A small valve in the liver sometimes becomes blocked or didn't open, usually a bith defect. However, you would have seen serious side effects before this. I also thought of another problem such as a heart defect. Also another valve issue. Sometimes the heart has a valve that is not closing properly during pumping and blood can back up somewhat. Most physicians lable this as a heart murmur, some can be quite serious though. I pray that she never goes through that again. When someone turns blue you need to be concerned about the lack of oxygen to the brain. If she were my duaghter, I would get her seen by a heart specialist or at least a doctor equiped to deal with serious circulation problems. If the ER visit was unsuccsesful in determining why she would quit breathing long enough to turn blue, I would seek a second opinion. You can seek as many opinions as you like until they find out what is happening to your baby girl. My sister used to do something like you are describing but it was a bit different. If she fell or got hurt she would get really mad and hold her breath until she passed out. she would turn blue in the process. Then when she was out her color came back and she would start breathing agian. We called 911 several times before we realised this was how she delt with being angry. Get hurt, get mad, hold breath, pass out and then back to normal. Weird but true. Ia m not sure if that really applies in your situation because your duaghter wasn't upset either time she passed out. Symptoms are there to tell you something is wrong. Trust your instincts as a mother. I have found when I had that gut feeling and followed it, I was right. You know your duaghter better than anyone. Trust in her as well. That scream she does is telling the only way she knows that something is wrong. If she feels something coming on, she is trying to tell you. I also wanted to tell you reflux can be so painful. It's not like heart burn at all. I would rather be in labor to be honest with you. I suffered and suffered and then my son went through it. The kind of pain she may have could make her scream like that, and I guess if it's bad enough make her pass out. I know that if the body is in shock as far as pain goes people have been known to pass out, but not to turn blue. The lack of oxygen is what bothers me and I can't piont it to being one thing or another. Since I am not a doctor, nor there to see you and your duaghter you need to make these assesments on your own. This is a serious situation and needs to be addressed. Look at what everyone writes to you, gather the info and hopefully someone will point you into the right direction. I wish you the best of luck and your little girl will be in my prayrers.

A. H.

I am not sure what area you live in, but I work at
St. Louis Children's Hospital and they have a Family Resource Center ###-###-####) or (____@____.com)
ask them the same questions and they could help you. The center is a library for anything and everything that someone could experience in their life.
They are all registered nurses and can help you do your research on this problem.
I would research it and then call a specialist. Some times your Peditrician just doesn't know.

I just don't believe there is any way that reflux is making her pass out. I am assuming that they did an echocardiogram on her. if not you should talk to her doctor about having that done. I like the idea of the seizures,(well not like it) but it sounds like a more likely explanation. I would take her back to her doctor, and if he can't find a better explanation then i would take her to another doctor, and so on and so forth until someone can give you a real answer.

Good luck, i hope it all turns out ok.

Have her tested for a seizure disorder. That sounds more like a seizure than "passing out." Many people think of a seizure as jerking and shaking, but it isn't always like that. I'd think a doctor would consider this a possibility... The screaming before she "passes out" is what makes it sound that way to me. I've known lots of people that feel one coming on just before it happens. It may sound scary, but at least if you know you can treat it. By the way- Never just accept what a doctor tells you if you feel something more is going on. They sometimes get stuck in a rut and overlook things. ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS. And demand appropriate answers, not just "band-aide" answers to shut you up. Listen to you mommy instinct. Good luck.

I have heard of reflux but it does not have to do with fainting. my foster daughter had the worse case of refluax you can imagine. she would spit up and it would lundge at you. I have never of a child fainting from it. have her looked at by a nerologist to make sure that this not due to a nerological issue because there could be more than just one thing wrong at once.

My 12 month old faints, and has for the last few months. He does it when he gets either hurt or really angry and is just too upset to breathe. It looks pretty scary, but when he passes out he breathes again and is generally a bit calmer. My mom said that I did the same thing when I was little. It was just my body's way of handling stress.
That said, if that is what's going on with your daughter, something must be happening internally that's giving her some pain.
I agree that the journal idea is a good one. Trust your mom instincts, and if you're not feeling confident with the diagnosis, pursue the situation. We've had very good experiences with Children's Mercy in downtown KC. Good luck!

My son has severe reflux (he's 8 is taking a very heavy adult dose of meds) and never had any type of behavior like that. Plus, reflux doesn't just show up at 8 months old. Could she be having some sort of a seizure?? Some seizures present in unusual ways. I would push to get a referral to a neurologist, just to rule it out. That sounds like more than just fainting or reflux. Go with your gut-if you think it's more than just reflux, keep pushing the doctor, or get a second and a third opinion for it.

I took my 23 month old daughter to the pacemaker doctor for her checkup yesterday. He asked if she had been fainting which I said no.

Maybe you need to get her heart checked out to make sure nothing is going on there. Just a thought for you to think about.

I don't want to scare you but those screaming and fainting spells could be seizures. Was it the ER that said she has Reflux? My 11 year old was thought to have Reflux and we had to stay overnight in the hospital to do the testing. If I were you I would contact a neurologists and tell them what has been happening.

N.,

I have not had this same experience with any of my children, but one comment someone made bothered me. They said they were told that people do not stop breathing with a seizure. Our son has had seizures for 16 years, and with many of them he has had "respiratory compromise" otherwise known as stopping breathing! He has turned blue before, but then starts breathing very irregularly and after about 1-1 1/2 minutes breathes more normally. (He had a traumatic brain injury, so his situation is much different from yours-my point is the erroneous info regarding not breathing and seizures.) Do be proactive and resist being intimidated by the "experts" (i.e. doctors). If what you are told does not make sense, keep asking questions until YOU feel satisfied. Best to you and your precious daughter.

The journal is a great idea, and so is getting her into someone else as soon a possible. The "what ifs" would be driving me nuts if I were you. Has she had problems with reflux before? How does someone pass out from reflux and then go back to normal? Have you been referred to another doctor? Did she have a CT or MRI? I would really keep asking questions. I don't mean to scare you, but what happens if this happens to her in the middle of the night? Not that you haven't thought about all of this. Good luck and keep us posted.

I have a hard time believing that this is a reflux issue. If I understand reflux to be related to the esophagus and stomach, then I don't see how this could generate blacking out. It sounds more like epileptic seizures, especially if she stops breathing. I would definitely get a second opinion and see a neurologist! This is pretty serious.

D. D. - Mom of two sons, 17 and 14, and one daughter, 9.