"A seizure is a sudden violent attack of an illness, especially a heart attack or fit" - the Collins Dictionary.
I have been asked to write this article on breathing seizures, as not one, but both of my twin girls suffer from this condition.
At first I thought Shannon was having an epilectic fit, a frightening thought for any parent. However, her recovery was fairly quick.
Frightened and nervous, I packed us off to the pediatrician to be told that she had just experienced her first breathing seizure.
He even mentioned that there have been cases where transatlantic flights have been reverted back, due to children having had a breathing seizure on board.
Your first experience of a breathing seizure is like seeing your child die on you! The physical side of this condition is violent, frightening and upsetting.
A sure sign of whether your child will suffer from this condition becomes apparent from between the ages of six months and four to five years. (In extreme cases it can last up to the age of seven or eight years.)
Following a minor injury (especially the head area) or frustration in a small baby, the child gives a cry and then holds his or her breath.
One eventually gets to know the peculiar cry or whimper which characteristically is followed by the loss of consciousness for a few minutes - the eyes roll backwards and, and the face turns blue, especially around the lips.
The child is hot
After the child regains consciousness the seizure, or fit-like convulsions a slight foaming at the mouth occur.
The recovery period is about three to five minutes. The child feels hot and clamy, sweats profusely and is lethargic for the duration of the recovery.
Attacks occur periodically sometimes two or three times a day or at intervals of days, weeks or even months.
Though disturbing for parents, the attacks do no harm and cease after a time. It is advised that you warn teachers at nursery school, grandparents, and so on, of your children's condition, as they may not know how to handle the attack.
Never blow on the face
To ease your child through the attack, one should above all remain calm. Talk softly to your child, telling him or her that everything is all right. Flicking water in the child's face is also advised.
Never blow into the child's face - he or she has already taken in so much air and now you come along and push more air into already expanded lungs.
Giving the child additional air can send him or her into a deeper level of unconsciousness.
The loss of consciousness expels the air from the lungs and that is when the convulsions, the strange cry and sweating occurs. In some cases the child wets themself.
Medication is not recommended and in particular anticonvulsant drugs should not be given. Breathing seizures are common amongst twins, with one or both having the condition.