does holding your breath cause brain damage?? very important?

Question

My 7 y/o just got home about 10 minutes ago from his dads house and my sons father informed me that my son has broken blood vessels on both sides of his neck and cheak as a result of him holding his breath at school on thursday.
he saw the school nurse adn she wasnt concerned
I looked at his face and want to take him to er to have them do an mri to make sure he is ok. if his blood vessels broke as aresult from holding his breath he losses oxegen correct.
why do kids do this? my son said another kid was doing it so he did it , my ex thinks im overeacting that if somehting was wrong it would of happened already? i disagree
ill waite 10 minutes for a reply then im going
Thank you

VERSANTLEY excuse me but my husband is a police officer i stay at home with my boys everyone tells me how proactive my parenting skills ae i exercise them consistantly look at my q& a you will see it there my son is not perfect ok my son is straight a honor roll i dont yell at my son i dont have too he learns from my leadership skills ok my kids are very loved, so if u read the question it wasnt about do u think im an effective parent ok. read MY Q &a and i bet you dont have any kids! my son has asthma this is why im too so concerned ok and i didnt cause that either!

Answer 1

Kids are always trying to get other kids to do things that they shouldn't do. Talk to him about it and let him know how important it is to get enough air. My goodness. He needs to see a doctor as, yes, this can cause brain damage and long term effects. Good luck to you my dear.

Answer 2

Children used to to it all the time in the 70's and 80's to control their parents. Parents were wiser. Children that did that would hold their breath so long ( 2-minutes seem like 10-minutes) that they would just pass out. Don't worry....the minute they pass out, their lungs would fill out and automatically start breathing again! Next time you see him do it, take no action, but secretly time him and see how long he can last! lol! Then put him in a swimming class to put some point of action in his display of naughtiness! This troll behavior can be put to some good. The little blood vessels on the side of his neck will repair themselves without surgery, because they will eventually reroute themselves. The large Carotid artery on the sides of his neck is well protected. Don't tell him, because he thinks he is getting away with something. Take him to the Doctor and make sure the Doctor show him a Big needle for his disobedience.Holding his breath will not cause him brain damage. The Coast Guard has a rescue swim team that can hold their breath much longer. Professional singers can hold their breath long also; you son probally has a strong future in holding his breath. .May God Bless You and Your Son.

Answer 3

I'm a mother & grandmother.

I understand what you are talking about as "I was there & back."

Children (especially the young ones) can hold their breathe till they turn blue, or work themselves up into a fit -- to get their way. It is scary and painfully to watch, especially if it's your child.

The wonderful part of it is: The child would automatically breathe just as he turns blue. He won't have brain damage as the whole episode is not long enough for that to happen. (However, it may feel like a long time for you and me)

That is probably why the nurse is nonchalant.

Over time, I've learnt to break the cyclle of escalation & prevented my kids from getting to the stage where they hold their breathe till they turn blue.

I would brace & talk to my kids (& now my grandchild), in a calm voice: "Darling, I can't hear you when you are like that. Take a deep breath, calm down & talk to me properly. Tell me what do you want" (Something along that line)

A member of my family used to remark that I am too soft and over protective of my kids. Interestingly, she became more protective than I when she becomes a mother!

By the way, for a child to hold his breathe in a tanctrum is different from him having an asthma attack.

However, since asthma attacks can be brought about by extreme excitement or stress, a tanctrum may bring on an asthma attack.

Answer 4

Damage occurs immediately. He didn't hold his own breath, by the way. Another kid choked him or bear-hugged him from behind until he passed out. That's how younger kids experience being high. I did it 30 years ago in grade school.

If he had any lasting damage, he would be dead right now or in a coma. Otherwise, when normal blood flow returns to the brain, he recovers.

He cannot break a blood vessel by holding his breath, either in his brain or anywhere else. Lack of oxygen will cause them to shrink, not expand. Trauma is the only way to break a normal blood vessel (as opposed to disease).

This behavior (passing out on purpose) can kill him, but not in the way that you describe. No one can hold his breath until he dies; it's not possible. It kills because the other kid may squeeze too long or he injures himself when he goes limp. Today, you have no concerns, whatsoever, about a hemorrhage in his brain.

Answer 5

If the school nurse wasn't concerned, he's probably okay. I'm not worried about the lack of oxygen. And if the blood vessels aren't in his head, right next to his brain, I'm not worried about that, either. If he complains of a bad headache, or he starts seeing too many of your fingers, or he sleeps and can't be woken, this is a sign of blood pooling in the brain cavity. Head to the ER then.

Besides, if it happened thursday, and your son seems fine, he's okay. But give his dad a chew or two for not taking him to see the family dr. on Friday.

Take care,

Debbie

Answer 6

If he was genuinely keeping air out of his lungs for a long time it would cause lack of oxygen to the brain that would cause brain damage. That sounds improbable, what could have happened they is he could have over exerted his neck muscles causing blood vessels to pop. It would be a good idea to talk to a doctor about it. Good Luck and I hope he is ok.

Answer 7

It is called anoxia... no oxygen.. This is what makes a person clinaclly dead..it is no oxygen to the brain.
SERIOUS: The blood vessels in his cheek are alot stronger and larger then the smaller arterioles in his brain.
Why do kids do this? Because they get a high from lack of oxygen!!It makes them dizzy. Perhaps there are other issues as to why your child would want to get this false "escape"?????
Make sure your son never does this again...I can gaurantee you that he has problem seeing vertical thin lines.due to blown retinal arteriols.(you might want to have him get his eyes checked).

P.s. the Nurse (if she is actually a nurse) should be reprimanded and fired.

Answer 8

Take the child to the doctor. I think it is the only way you are getting peace of mind.
I have heard that a human cannot hold their breath long enough to do any damage, but I have never heard of broken blood vessels, so...
Good luck

Answer 9

Brain damage will occur after 4 minutes of no oxygen going to the brain. As long as his heart is still pumping, he'll still get that oxygen to the brain. Relax, he will pass out before that happens. In his unconscious state, he'll breath. So don't worry. As for the blood vessels, I would take him to his pediatrician and bring it up then. Good luck.

Answer 10

Rule of 3's
brain cells die after 3 mins
3 days with out water
3 weeks without food.
It is impossible to hold your own breath to cause brain damage. It sounds more like someone was choking him.