Some children may experience dizziness, blurred vision, see black or dark spots, and then collapse. In some children, there may be warning symptoms such as ear ringing, nausea, sweating, feeling hot and cold, palpitations or slow heartbeat, and pale face. After that, the child will lose consciousness and fall down. About 80% of fainting cases in children are harmless and not severe, but about 10-20% have dangerous causes. To prevent emergencies, caregivers should know how to observe abnormalities from these symptoms.
Types of Fainting Can Be Divided Into 2 Groups
- Non-severe fainting group (common fainting) caused by imbalance or abnormal function of the nervous system, heart, and leg veins, known as Vasovagal syncope or Neuro-cardiogenic syncope or common fainting.
Characteristics of the symptoms include fainting with loss of strength in the limbs and falling down for a short period. When the nervous system malfunctions, the heart rate slows down, and the leg veins dilate. Blood returning from the legs to the heart decreases, combined with the slower heart rate, reducing blood flow to the brain. This causes temporary oxygen deprivation to the brain, resulting in fainting.
However, after the heart rate returns to normal and the leg veins function properly again, the brain receives normal blood and oxygen… the child will recover without seizures or abnormal symptoms. This type of fainting may occur when standing for a long time, standing under the sun, feeling nervous, seeing blood and feeling scared, severe abdominal pain, severe pain, or being startled by someone, etc.
- Severe and dangerous fainting group has more severe symptoms, mostly caused by heart disease, brain abnormalities, or endocrine disorders. Children with these conditions recover slowly and may have residual symptoms such as seizures, loss of consciousness, or limb weakness, and may even die.
Common Causes of Severe and Potentially Dangerous Fainting Include
- Heart diseases
- Abnormal heart function due to electrical disturbances such as ventricular fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, or abnormally slow heart rate, causing fainting and possibly death.
- Congenital heart disease such as valve stenosis, which during heavy exercise causes insufficient blood and oxygen supply to the brain, leading to fainting, seizures, or death.
- Children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have insufficient blood pumping during exercise, especially to the brain, causing oxygen deprivation, fainting, and in some cases seizures or death.
- Children with certain types of cardiomyopathy (congestive cardiomyopathy) have weak heart contractions during exercise, leading to insufficient blood supply to the brain, causing fainting or possibly death.
- Brain diseases such as epilepsy, vascular abnormalities in the brain, or abnormal brain tumors, often accompanied by seizures and symptoms after fainting.
- Endocrine diseases, commonly low blood sugar, etc.
When Should You Take a Child to See a Doctor?
Whenever a child faints, they should be taken to see a doctor for diagnosis to determine the cause and whether it is dangerous. Usually, caregivers think the child fainted from heat exhaustion, which accounts for about 80% of cases, but 10-20% may have other more severe underlying diseases. It is best to have the child examined to identify the cause for proper care, treatment, and prevention of recurrence and danger.
First Aid for a Child Who Has Fainted
- Lay the child on their side and on a flat surface.
- Do not put fingers or foreign objects into the child’s mouth to prevent choking and airway obstruction.
- Loosen tight clothing or anything restricting the body to allow easier breathing.
- Check the child’s breathing and pulse.
- Call the child to regain consciousness.
- Take the child to see a doctor for further examination and diagnosis.
Dr. Watchara Jamjureerak
Pediatric Cardiologist
Child and Adolescent Health Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital
