Breath-holding Spells and Its Management: a Prospective Study on Patient and Disease Characteristics, Evaluation of Novel Guidelines, Parental Handling, and Long-term Follow-up in Breath-holding Spells

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating new disease descriptions and management guidelines for breath-holding spells in children under 5 years old in southern Sweden. The study aims to determine if these guidelines reduce unnecessary diagnostic procedures and are safe to use. It also investigates whether iron supplements decrease the frequency and severity of these spells and explores what information and support parents need for managing their children's condition. Children diagnosed with typical breath-holding spells will be managed according to the new guidelines, which include cardiac evaluations like ECG for those with relevant family history or symptoms, and blood tests for anemia and iron deficiency if the child has multiple spells. Children with non-typical spells will be assessed individually using current practices. If iron deficiency is identified, supplementation is recommended. Some parents of children with frequent spells may participate in interviews as part of a sub-study. Participants will be evaluated by medical doctors and monitored through digital surveys over time. Researchers will assess the safety and usability of the guidelines, the effectiveness of iron treatment, and the support needs of parents. The study includes follow-up for up to 36 months to monitor outcomes and uses interviews and surveys to gather detailed information from families. The total participation duration varies, with specific assessments scheduled within weeks to months after inclusion.

Breath-holding Spells and Its Management Study