As VelSid told us when defining sob spasms, it is a very distressing situation for parents that we see our son in such an unpleasant episode.
My baby has been suffering from spasms since I was about six months old, but at first it was not easy for me to identify what it was.
They occur sporadically, until now only when a very strong blow has been taken.
She is a very moving girl who does not stop still and the first time it happened was when she fell out of bed. I got a big scare because he cried so intensely that he stopped breathing for a couple of seconds, turned pale and saw that he was gradually losing consciousness, fading and with a loose body.
The first thing I believed was that he was about to pass out because of the blow that had hit his head. I tried to get his attention by snapping my fingers so she wouldn't fall asleep, I calmed her in my arms and I was almost calling for emergencies when I noticed she was recovering.
In some cases (luckily we have not reached so much) the child convulses by shaking arms and legs. I don't even want to imagine the parents' anguish at that picture.
Seeing that he came back perfectly, I remembered a family history and related it to emotional apnea. I told the pediatrician who confirmed it and recommended "not to show me too worried about the picture." How are you going to be calm when you think your child can fall asleep forever? At the time it seemed terrible what he said, but now I understand.
I know better than anyone that it is very difficult to remain calm in this situation but it is important to know that these spasms do not leave any sequels and that the child recovers in a few minutes after the episode.
Not for nothing they call it apnea of crying or emotional apnea, because they say that throughout the episode the child somehow tries to get the attention of his parents.
Once it is identified that this is a problem and not a more serious one, it is best not to alter and act calmly. You know that nothing bad will happen to you, so you just have to have a bad drink without the baby perceiving your despair.
They advise lying to the child low up so that the blood irrigates the brain and wet it with our hand or a washcloth, the forehead and the wrists until it returns to itself.
In the case of my little girl, the episodes have occurred very occasionally, so far about four or at most five times in seven months, only when there have been very strong blows, but the girl's character already points out ways and I fear that increase in the stage of the tantrums, so I am considering changing my way of acting.
