Breathing difficulty for my 21 month old daughter? What could it be?

Question

My daughter, just recently, started showing infrequent and seemingly random breathing issues. She seems to have the trouble when she exhales as it sounds like she is holding her breath briefly and then exhaling. She will do this several times and then finally it calms down and she breathes normally again. She is fatigued and very sleepy after an episode. We and the doctors have ruled out air way blockage, seizures, allergies, and possibly asthma (there is no wheezing).

Doctors ran X-rays, scoped her stomach and lungs for blockage, checked her blood for infection, monitored her heart and breathing, and conducted an EEG on her. Nothing turned up.

The breathing episodes subsided for a couple of days and then my daughter had another one tonight. They seem to be brief. They happen when she is active or inactive / excited or not. She is exhausted afterwards. Her doctor does not know what it could be. Any help would be appreciated as we have hit a road block.

Answer 1

She may be asthmatic.  Has she been screened for possible asthma or other allergies? I don't like the idea that this pediatrician hasn't done any more tests or at least refer you to an specialist. Get a second opinion.

Also look other possible environmental changes that may have caused this breathing problem; such as a new carpet, mold, dust mites, new paint, allergic to certain foods...?

Keep in mind as the child gets older since new foods are being introduced to her, there is also a possibility that new allergies may also develop.

Keep a record of any new changes done lately.

Answer 2

There was no specific answer as a specialist talk but any case have the solution.

Just a question to you, is it any other people in your family have the same problem?

If yes, it mean, from the ginetic causes. but if no; there are a few part to do check and inspect about that.

1. Blood test must be done to ensure the delutecity of blood and sugar level also Oxygen level.

2. How much water she took every day, it must be not enough water in her body because if 5% short of water the body become weak and fatigue.

3. What water did she take, most of water didn't supply energy and mineral enough to body to ensure fulfillthe need of the body. try to find Rx Water.

4. please also check the cleanliness of her room, free from dust that causes of the heavy breathing (couldn't get smooth breath)

Please do check and just make easy to reply me.

Answer 3

I am sorry to say this, but it sounds like she is having a mild seizure. Doctors will have a very hard time diagnosing it if they do not see more then one episode for themselves. Seizures could be ruled out easilly if they are not witnessed by the doctor himself. I would try again with that one, just to be sure.

Another idea may be her heart, the flap between atria don't always seal correctly and it may be that she is circulating blood away from the lungs. This too is a very hard to diagnose problem if it is intermittent.

Bacterial infections of the blood or even isolated parts of the body can cause very strange symptoms. Check her for any under skin lumps, check behind her ears, on her scalp and between the toes too. Look for lumps, redness, swelling and cracked skin.

I have asthma, severe asthma, and I had it as a child, and to me it just dosent sound like asthma at all. The inability to breathe has the opposite effect due to panic - adrenaline, and hyperactivity lasts a long time after an asthmatic episode has been treated and subsided. Children mostly panic when they can't breathe.

It also sounds like a blood sugar problem, or electrolyte problem. Have her drinking home made gatoraide or water about 1 liter with lemon juice, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of baking soda, and usually there would be sugar but I'm not sure if 1/2 cup is a good idea.

Check her blood sugar within 1/2 hour of these episodes.

She may also have an inherited problem with gluten. Place her on an elimination diet, keeping her on bland food, a limited amount of ingredients, and very few variations. Yams usually are non-allergenic, start with those and add stuff that doesn't contain gluten. Keep adding but don't include gluten until she has another episode, since if she has one a week after starting then she's not triggered by it. http://www.foodintol.com/eliminationdiet... (don't purchase anything on this site - only use the symptoms list and read the info on allergies.)

Another site mentions this for the diet.... For 2 to 6 weeks, eliminate all suspect foods and focus diet on (Only eat the following) fresh fruits, vegetables, potatoes, yams, animal protein (fish, poultry, lamb), and nonglutenous grains (rice, buckwheat). Eat organic foods whenever possible.

After 2 to 6 weeks of maintaining a strict elimination diet, there should be relief from symptoms. http://www.alternativemedicinechannel.co...

both were found google searching

Monitor her close at night. Most of these types of problems get worse at night. If this has been going on for a long time it may be sleep apnea, and fatigue.

Always get more then one opinion from another hospital. And if your family practitioner or doctor is not able to diagnose it then go to a children's hospital, locate one and begin the paperwork as soon as you can.