FL H9107

Designates July 14, 2015, as "Involuntary Breath Holding Awareness Day" in Florida to raise public awareness of this childhood condition.

Involuntary breath holding spells (expiratory apnea) are benign, reflexive actions affecting approximately 5 percent of children, typically occurring between 3 and 18 months of age and rarely seen after age 8.

Spells are triggered by environmental distress and responses to fear, stress, pain, or anger, temporarily slowing heart rate and breathing, and can range from mild to severe cases resulting in loss of consciousness and seizures.

Symptoms include the child becoming pale or blue, crying then ceasing to breathe, fainting, and exhibiting jerky movements characteristic of seizures.

No treatment is required unless an underlying medical cause exists; the resolution aims to eliminate misconceptions that episodes result from temper tantrums, willful defiance, or are controllable by the child.