Fainting means being unconscious for a short while. It is quite common for children to faint, especially at school age. For example, a child may faint if they rise quickly so that blood pressure drops. Another reason may be that the child experiences a strong feeling. Usually it is completely harmless to faint, but sometimes it can be due to some illness.
Symptoms of child fainting
Before a child faints, any of the following can happen:
- She feels dizzy and cold-sweaty.
- The skin looks pale.
- She feels bad and it starts to go black.
- It whistles or rings in the ears.
Sometimes the fainting comes so suddenly that the child does not have time to feel anything special before.
What is it because a child faints?
Blood circulation to the brain becomes insufficient if a child experiences a fall in blood pressure. The child then faints and cannot control the body, but collapses. Then the blood flows passively back to the brain and the baby wakes up again after a while. Such a brief unconsciousness may, for example, be due to the child having risen quickly so that blood pressure drops. It is called orthostatic blood pressure drop.
Another reason could be that they react strongly to something scary or unpleasant. Children can also faint if they have a lot of pain for some reason. Some young children may hold their breath when they are angry or sad and faint for that reason.
Sometimes, but it is unusual, fainting can be a sign of some illness, such as heart failure.
It is not easy to wake a child if they have fainted and become unconscious. In this way, unconsciousness differs from sleep. After a child has fainted, it is common for them to feel a little tired and included.
When and where should I seek care?
You do not need to seek care for the child if they fail for a clear reason and quickly feel good again.
If the child fails inexplicably or frequently, contact a health care provider. It can be a sign of heart disease if the child suddenly faints without exhortation or when they exert themselves, for example, if the child is engaged in sports. The doctor at the health center will refer them to a pediatrician or specialist for heart disease in children if needed.
If it’s in a hurry
- The child has difficulty breathing or chest pain
- The child gets cramps when they faint.
- It takes more than a minute for the baby to wake up.
- It takes a long time for the child to become as usual.
- The child fails several times in a short time.
What should I do if a child is fainting?
You can help the child to lie down with his legs taller than the body if you see that they are fainting. If that is not possible, you can help the child sit down, bend his head to his knees and encourage them to breathe calmly.
What should I do if a child has failed?
If a child has failed:
- Feel the baby breathe and make sure the pulse is beating.
- Make sure the baby has nothing loose in the mouth that can get down the respiratory tract.
- Lighten clothes that sit around the baby’s neck.
- Let the baby lie down and place his legs higher than the body to facilitate blood circulation.
- Do not try to wake the child by lifting and shaking them, but let the child wake up at his own pace.
- Don’t give the child something to drink until they are fully awake.
- Make sure the baby continues to breathe and do not leave them alone.
What should I do if a child fails often?
You can try to prevent fainting in the following ways if a child has difficulty fainting:
- Teach the child to rise slowly as they sit.
- Teach the child to move feet and legs if they have to stand for a long time.
- Teach the child to recognize early signs such as nausea, earache or that it starts to spin in the head. The child can then help himself by putting or lying down in time, thus avoiding fainting.
- Have the child sit or lie down when to take samples or get syringes.
Influence and participate in your child’s care
As a patient, you have under the Patient Act’s ability to influence your child’s care.
You should understand the information
In order for you to be able to participate in your child’s care and treatment, it is important that you understand the information you receive from the care staff. Ask questions if you don’t understand.
Children should also be involved in their care. The older the child, the more important it is.