Why does my child hold his breath while crying?

Q: My son is 11 months old. While crying he holds his breath for a minute and then releases it. How do I handle this?

A:Your child seems to be having breath holding spells. These children are by and large fussy and throw tantrums. Sometimes they may become blue and appear unconscious. This is mostly a behavioural disorder but you must also get the child investigated and treated for anaemia, if it is present. The best way to handle this is in a cool manner since the child usually starts breathing spontaneously. In some children a strategy of calculated neglect has to be applied so that they do not turn this into a blackmailing tactic to get all their wishes.