The Effect of Iron Therapy on Breath Holding Attacks in Pediatrics

Abstract

B reath holding spell is a sudden attack happen when feel anger, fear or sudden head trauma. Child hold breath at the end of expiration. If the spell was sever, child will lose consciousness and tonic clonic seizures will occur. Spell may persist 1-3 minutes. According to color of child during spell, spell will be categorized to cyanotic, pallid or mixed. Breath holding spellaffect about 5% of children. Symptoms of BHS may be confused with epilepsy or (prolonged Q-t syndrome) so patient should do electrocardiogramand electroencephalogram to exclude epilepsy or(prolonged Q-t syndrome) also BHS occur in certain circumstances, when child is awake and proceeded with anger, cry or head trauma. Autonomic dysregulation play important role in pathophysiology ofBHS, autonomic nervous system in this patient cant accurately regulate heart beat and respiratory rhythm of patient during BHS, this will lead to asystol and pronged expiration followed by decrease cerebral blood flow and cerebral anoxia causing tonic clonic convulsion. Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are claimed tobe contributing factor in BHS, causing increase frequency, duration and severity of spells.