Dizziness/fainting/vertigo

For Babies

Breath holding

Breath-holding is when a baby or child stops breathing for up to 1 minute and may faint. It can happen when a child is frightened, upset, angry, or has a sudden shock or pain.

Breath-holding can be scary for parents, but it's usually harmless and the child should grow out of it by the age of 4 or 5.

Breath-holding episodes:

• usually last for less than 1 minute (if the child faints, they'll usually regain consciousness within 1 or 2 minutes)
• are not epileptic seizures

Breath-holding in babies and children

Find out about breath-holding in babies and children, including when to get medical help, what happens during an episode and what to do.

www.nhs.uk

For Children and Adults

Dizziness

Dizziness is a common symptom that can occur for many reasons.

Some reasons include:

• Recently started a new medication
• Inner ear issues
• Infections or viruses
• Low blood pressure or low blood sugar
• Too warm or heat stroke
• Not enough water or dehydration - especially if unwell with a vomiting/diarrhoea illness
• Migraine
• Motion sickness

Vertigo

Vertigo feels like you or everything around you is spinning – enough to affect your balance. It's more than just feeling dizzy. Vertigo is a symptom - not a diagnosis. There are also many reasons that you may experience vertigo:

• Inner ear issues
• Migraine
• Some medications