Breath-holding attacks are not uncommon in infants and toddlers. They are characterised by the child suddenly stopping breathing in the midst of a bout of crying provoked by pain, some emotional upset, or loss of temper, and sometimes for no obvious reason. The breath may be held so long that the child goes blue in the face or even faints. The attack is never fatal and the condition usually disappears spontaneously after the age of 3—5 years, but once a child has acquired the habit it may recur quite often.
The voluntary or involuntary stopping of breathing may be seen in children who use this to attempt to control the behavior of their parents.