toddler blue around the mouth

My son is 15 months old and four weeks ago started to go blue only around the mouth, 2 days ago he collapsed at the childminders and recovered without a problem, other recent symptoms include staring into space laying down to play crouching and off his food he had an ecg and bloods screened but all came back normal and he didnt de saturate , have you any idea if a child can realy have a heart problem and return normal test results. many thanks rebecca

[Jeffrey R Boris, M.D.]

Dear Reblou,
It is difficult to determine what is going on here without more of a complete history and evaluation.  The potential  causes of your son’s passing out could be breath-holding spells, cardioinhibitory syncope, or seizures.  Breath-holding spells are somewhat of a misnomer, and occur after a mild injury or anger.  These children cry and, while exhaling, suddenly become pale OR blue, and can even pass out.  It is not voluntary, meaning they can’t control it.  They do grow out of it.  Cardioinhibitory syncope is a type of fainting or passing out in which the heart rate and the blood pressure both drop to very low rates (or even zero).  Seizures are abnormal brain activity.  I recommend that you have him evaluated by your primary care provider, who may determine that further testing or pediatric cardiology/neurology testing is indicated.

[mathai]

A related discussion, circumoral cyanosis was started.