Young children can cry or scream so much that they lose their breath and faint. The child can also faint without screaming. It is called an effective attack and can look nasty, but is not dangerous.
Affect attacks are most common at one to two years of age but can occur from six months to six years of age. Some children get a seizure every now and then, other children can have several every day.
Affect attacks can be hereditary.
Another word for this condition is affliction or debilitation, but it has nothing to do with convulsive illness or epilepsy.
What can the attack be due to?
Affect attacks are caused by strong emotions, so-called effects. It is about, for example, pain, fear, anger or disappointment. It is usually anger or fear that triggers the attack.
What happens and what should you do?
When the child has a seizure, it is impossible to make contact. The child screams and loses breath, becomes pale in the face and can get a bluish color around the mouth. They can also lose consciousness for a short while. Most children become limp in the body, but some can become stiff and it can jerk in the arms and legs. After a short while, the child begins to breathe again as usual. When they wake up, it may take a few seconds for you to contact them again.
Stay with the child during the attack. Talk calmly to the child and be calm yourself. You can hold them in your arms or sit down to be on hand when they wake up. You can also try massaging the baby.
When and where should I seek care?
If your child has one or more of the following problems, contact bvc or a health care center :
- This is the first time the child has a seizure.
- The attacks come several days in a row or are longer than they were before.
Investigations
If health care is sure that it is an effective attack, no investigation is needed. If there is any other reason, the child is examined and examined at a health center or child care center.
Treatment for an effective attack in children
Affect attacks are harmless and disappear over time. The older the child becomes, the easier you can interpret the child’s signals. It is easy to overprotect a child who has a seizure and avoid situations that may be upsetting. The best thing is to try to live as usual.
It is good to tell about the seizures of people who usually take care of the child, for example at the preschool or in the family daycare center.
Over time, you can learn to recognize when an attack is underway. Then you can divert in the way that suits the situation and the child so that they stop in their reaction and catch their breath.
Treatment with anticonvulsant medication has not been shown to have any effect.
Influence and participate in your care
The Patient Act was introduced on January 1, 2015. The purpose is to strengthen the patient’s position in healthcare.
There is no age limit for when a child can have an influence over their care. The child’s ability to participate in related to the child’s maturity.
The older the child, the more important it is for them to be involved in their care. In order to be active in the care and to make decisions, it is important that you as an adult and the child understand the information you receive from the care staff.