Assessing the Level of Awareness About Breath-Holding Spells Among the General Population in the Makkah Region, Saudi
Mohammed Abuaish1, Heba Y Dosh2, Khulud A Boubsit2
1Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, SAU.
Insights
Parental awareness of breath-holding spells (BHS) in Makkah is low. Educational campaigns are recommended to improve understanding and appropriate responses to BHS in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Child Health
Background:
- Breath-holding spells (BHS) are common, non-epileptic events in healthy children, often triggered by emotional distress.
- These episodes involve cyanosis or pallor, loss of consciousness, and can be concerning for parents.
- Limited data exists on parental awareness of BHS in Saudi Arabia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental awareness of breath-holding spells (BHS) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
- To identify knowledge gaps regarding BHS triggers, symptoms, and management.
- To inform the development of targeted educational interventions.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study conducted from June to October 2023.
- Data collected via a validated, self-generated survey distributed through social media using Google Forms.
- 602 participants from the general population in Makkah were included.
Main Results:
- Over 67% of parents incorrectly linked BHS to iron deficiency anemia.
- 93.9% recognized that spells can cause loss of consciousness and seizures.
- While 79.6% knew basic first aid, a significant knowledge gap on BHS exists.
Conclusions:
- Parental awareness regarding breath-holding spells (BHS) in Makkah is generally low.
- There is a need for comprehensive educational campaigns to provide accurate information on BHS.
- Improved parental knowledge will facilitate appropriate responses during BHS episodes.
Abstract:
Background and objective Breath-holding spell (BHS) is a serious condition that affects healthy and normal children. It is a paroxysmal non-epileptic disorder and usually occurs after the child gets angry, annoyed, or aroused. In such a scenario, an episode of crying and silent expiration associated with color changes, either cyanosis or pallor, leads to loss of consciousness in the child. In Saudi Arabia, studies assessing the awareness among parents about BHS have been scarce. In light of this, this study aimed to evaluate the awareness of BHS among parents in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in 2023. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study conducted between June and October 2023 by using Google Forms to collect data about awareness of risk factors of BHS among the general population in Makkah. We employed a validated and self-generated survey that was distributed through social media platforms. Results The study included 602 participants; 138 (22.9%) of them had witnessed BHS episodes. Of note, 407 (67.6%) thought that there was a connection between BHS and iron deficiency anemia. A significant majority (n=565, 93.9%) mentioned that spells can lead to passing out and seizures, and 542 (90%) thought that spells are dangerous. The majority (n=479, 79.6%) reported that the actions required during spells involve laying the child on the floor, keeping the child away from anything sharp, staying with the child, and calling 911 if the child remains blue or is not breathing for longer than a minute. The most common source of information for the participants was the Ministry of Health (n=182, 30.2%). Conclusions This study found a generally low level of awareness among parents regarding several aspects of BHS. Hence, we recommend conducting educational campaigns to ensure parents have accurate information about BHS so that they can respond appropriately to its occurrence in children.
More Related Videos
10:45A Community-based Stress Management Program: Using Wearable Devices to Assess Whole Body Physiological Responses in Non-laboratory Settings
Published on: January 22, 2018
08:34Investigation into Deep Breathing through Measurement of Ventilatory Parameters and Observation of Breathing Patterns
Published on: September 16, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:17Other Factors Affecting Respiration Centers
However, the ability to hold one's breath voluntarily is not limitless. When the CO2 concentration in the blood reaches a critical...
01:25Hyperpnea and Hyperventilation
01:30Alterations in Respiration II
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
01:27Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract II: Inspection
Chest Configuration
The chest configuration...
01:30Acute Respiratory Failure-III
01:23Acute Respiratory Failure-IV