1Designating July 14, 2013, as "Involuntary Breath Holding
2Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania in order to raise awareness of
3this childhood condition.

4WHEREAS, Breath holding spells, also known as Expiratory
5Apnea, are a benign, involuntary and reflexive action seen in
6approximately 5% of children; and

7WHEREAS, Breath holding spells involve an event in the
8environment that distresses the child and are a response to
9fear, stress, pain or anger in which the nervous system
10temporarily slows the heart rate and breathing; and

11WHEREAS, Breath holding spells can be mild, however, severe
12breath holding spells can result in a child losing consciousness
13and having a seizure; and

14WHEREAS, The symptoms of involuntary breath holding spells
15include the child being pale or even turning blue, crying and
16then not breathing, fainting or loss of consciousness and jerky
17movements similar to a seizure; and

1WHEREAS, The age of onset of these spells is generally
2between 3 and 18 months of age and the condition is rarely seen
3in children older than 8 years of age; and

4WHEREAS, The majority of research on the causes of breath
5holding spells focuses on a child's physiological response to
6environmental events; and

7WHEREAS, Involuntary breath holding requires no treatment
8unless there is an underlying medical cause for the spells; and

9WHEREAS, There is a need to educate the public about this
10little-known condition in order to eliminate the confusion that
11such episodes are the result of a temper tantrum, willful
12defiance or can be controlled by the child; therefore be it

13RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate July
1414, 2013, as "Involuntary Breath Holding Awareness Day" in
15Pennsylvania in order to raise awareness of this childhood
16condition.