BHS is known to affect five percent of children in good health. They generally start in the initial year of life, peaking by the age of 2, subsiding by 4 years of age in fifty percent infants and by 8years in 83% of infants.

BHS could take one of the two below stated forms, namely:

The cyanotic form of BHS:

The most prevalent and initiated in subconscious manner by young kids mostly as a part of a temper tantrum or as a retort to being scolded or other disconcerting events. These episodes become quite recurrent at about two years of age and are uncommon among children past 5 years of age. Usually, the crying starts (at times without essentially being sentient about it), followed by breathing out and halting breath. Soon the skin starts turning blue and the child loses orientation and becomes unconscious.  A momentary seizure might take place. Some seconds later the breathing starts and the skin colour turns to normal and consciousness is regained. The episode could be possibly interrupted when one places a cold piece of cloth over the kid’s face at the time the spell starts.

BHS could be a petrifying event for the parent. Some consider that the child holds his/her breath purposefully, but mostly they are unintentional and spontaneous in nature. These happen when the kid is wakeful and is actively breathing. These spells could pursue from anywhere between two to twenty seconds, but could prolong more than a minute.

Mostly one’s doctor would offer information regarding BHS and assure that it is not detrimental to the child. After BHS has been diagnosed, it is crucial not to make dramatic changes in the manner of treating or attending to the kid except for the two exemptions. Firstly, one needn’t be overly nervous or tensed about the kid either before or after BHS. Secondly, one must not totally give in to the kid’s demands on all occasions, in an attempt to stop him from ever getting upset.

The doctor might also examine the child for anemia and prescribe iron supplements for lowering the regularity of BHS. Though medication is occasionally advantageous to kids with BHS, however those with severe and recurrent BHS might find this beneficial.

When BHS takes place, the child should be laid down on his/her back and safeguard them from any head injury and aspiration till the time recovery happens. If needed, the child’s mouth and airways needs to be cleared in order to avert choking. The parent needs to follow these instructions in a calm and unruffled manner and avoid overreacting to the episode. An EKG test is also at times conducted for such kids to diagnose any hidden heart ailment. One needs to delve into one’s family history and inform one’s doctor or caregiver about BHS.

Cyanotic breath-holding spells respond to intake of iron supplements in spite of the kid not having iron-deficit anemia, and for treating obstructive sleep apnea.

The pallid form of BHS:

These unanticipated and uncontrollable spells lead to the child turning extremely pale rather than the bluish or purplish tone. It classically occurs after a hurtful experience like after a fall or head injury or being abruptly shocked. This leads to the brain sending signal through the vagus nerve that swiftly lowers the heart rate leading to lost consciousness both of which are transitory in nature. Paleness, limpness and at times seizure and incontinence might ensue. The heart beat slowing down during the time. After the spell passes by matters return to normal.

An atypical form of BHS related to a rare genetic condition known as familial dysautonomia or Riley Day Syndrome are unintentional spells occurring among infants that are already gravely ill.

Researchers have discovered that pre-schoolers that used a dummy for no less than 3 years are more prone to having talking impediments than kids that didn’t make use of them.

The study also uncovered that those children who habitually sucked their thumbs were also at an increased risk of deferred speech development.

Though the findings are still in their initial stages, they add to the mounting proof that parents that handed out pacifiers to their tots as a means of getting some peace and silence are doing so at the cost of their kid’s development.

The scientists from America and Chile during the course of their study observed the history of 128 infants in the ages of 3-5 that did thumb/finger sucking, breastfed and used dummies. Linguistic testing methods were also employed to check if the infant’s speech was deemed normal at par with their age – or if they exhibited an abnormally low ‘speaking age’ in case of pronunciation of sounds and words.

The research team helmed by Dr. Clarita Barbosa from the University of Washington noted that those kids that finger or thumb sucked or used pacifiers for at least 3 years, raised their chances of developing speech impediments by three folds.

However, those children who were breastfed till they were at least 9 months of ages – and hence not given bottle feed – were observed to be less prone to having speech problems.

Dr. Barbosa stated that the outcome of the study revealed that sucking that was not done due to breastfeeding might lead to serious effects on speech development among young kids. She cautiously pointed out that further study that would involve a bigger populace was needed. She stated that this study offers further proof of the advantages of extended periods of breastfeeding in babies, though this would need to be construed with vigilance as these data are still based on observation.

The study conducted on children based in Chile found that fifty-three of them had used pacifiers while twenty-three of them habitually sucked their thumbs.

There has been long-standing debate among bothered parents over the usage of dummies. Few tots when using dummies experienced immense comfort during times of being ailed with colic. Previous studies have additionally revealed that the use of dummies could cut the risk of cot-related deaths to nearly half.

However, dentists state that the prolonged use leads to teeth deformity, and there are others who suggest that when the dummy is employed during the child’s wakeful hours, tends to stop the kid from being part of everyday tittle –tattle.

Thumb-sucking is a normal occurrence among babies and young kids. An innate sucking impulse causes some infants to engage in thumb-sucking during their initial few months following birth, or even while they are in the womb. Babies might additionally suck their fingers, hands or other objects like pacifiers.

What are the reasons behind infant thumb-sucking?

Babies have an innate urge to suck that generally reduces subsequent to six months of age. However, several babies persistently suck their thumbs as a means of soothing themselves. Babies and young kids could become habituated with thumb-sucking when they use it as a means of pacifying themselves during hunger, when they are petrified, edgy, quiet, drowsy or are plain bored.

Majority of infants and toddlers suck their thumbs, however eventually between three and six years majority of them stop by themselves.

Would thumb-sucking lead to any problems?

Long-lasting thumb-sucking might lead to dental problems in the child. Thumb-sucking could lead to improper teeth alignment (malocclusion) or protruding teeth and at times cause malformation of the roof (upper palate). Malocclusion normally self-corrects when thumb-sucking is stopped. However, the more prolonged thumb-sucking persists, the greater is the likelihood of imminent orthodontic treatment being required for correction of any resultant dental problems.

Speech difficulties might also arise like mispronunciation of the letters ‘T’ and ‘D’, lisping and the tongue constantly jutting out while speaking.

When does thumb-sucking become problematic?

Thumb-sucking among infants lesser than four years of age is not considered as a problem. However, those kids above the age of four or five who constantly and with greater intensity suck their thumbs are at increased risk of developing imminent dental or speech problems.

In atypical cases, thumb-sucking observed past the age of five years is associated with an emotional turmoil or some disorder like anxiety. Such children need to be medically examined and subsequent to simplistic treatment measures being followed, thumb-sucking could be halted.

Treating problematic thumb-sucking

Several experts suggest overlooking thumb-sucking among preschoolers and younger aged kids. Majority of young kids stop thumb-sucking on their own.

Thumb-sucking among children requires treatment when:

• Additionally hair pulling is involved, particularly in-between 1-2 years of age.
• Persistent thumb-sucking or with heightened intensity even after four to five years of age.
• Assistance is demanded for halting the behaviour.
• Speech or dental problems arise due to the outcome of this behaviour.
• When the child feels self-conscious, or is mocked or ridiculed by others due to this behaviour.

Normally, treatment could be carried out at home with the parents charting out rules and offering means to distract the child. It might be beneficial to curb the frequency and the places where the kid is allowed thumb-sucking and to hide away blankets or other objects that the kid tends to associate with thumb-sucking. Praising and rewarding the child during all the times he does not suck his thumb, might aid in breaking the habit. With the child eventually maturing, by five years of age, he/she might be able to play a more active part in the treatment.

• Speaking frankly with the child regarding the ill-effects of thumb-sucking.
• Covering the child’s hands with gloves or wrapping the thumb using a sticky bandage or a piece of cloth. Explaining to the child that the glove, bandage or the piece of cloth is not meant as a means of punishing him/her, but merely a reminder for not to thumb suck.
• Developing an incentive system like attaching stickers on a diary or otherwise keeping a track of the number of days the kid went without thumb-sucking. Subsequent to a decided-upon number of days passing by without thumb-sucking, having a kind of celebration organised for the kid.
• Using a special toxin-free, tart-tasting nail coating like ‘Thum’ that could be applied on the finger nails firstly in the morning or prior to bedtime or whenever the child is spotted thumb-sucking proves to be immensely beneficial. This form of treatment has high success rate if coupled with an incentive system.

In case, these treatments are proving unsuccessful, other treatments comprising of behavioural therapy, thumb devices or mouth devices might be employed.