I can only speak from personal experience. I was at least six years old when I "outgrew" holding my breath. I imagine that the old "every child is different" rule probably applies though.
i have a 38mo girl who is a alleged breath holder and started to have siezures at 16 mo due to the breath holding attacks. she has only had 6 seizures in almost a year and has had normal eegs as well. how long does it take for kids to typically out grow this condition?
My daughter, who will be three in June, is a breath-holder and has been since she was five months old. When crying very hard, usually from an injury or fright, she stops breathing and passes out. I did this as a child also, and outgrew it around six years of age. My daughter's breath-holding episodes began triggering seizures when she was just over a year old. She has had an EEG and Pediatric Neurology consult, both of which yielded no organic cause for the seizures. Some children, as I did as a child, hold their breath and pass out when crying with no other effects or complications. I would certainly mention the behavior to your pediatrician just to be safe.
Also, I remember vividly the episodes I had as a child, and the anger I received from my siblings and parents after one would occur. Please understand that your child does not do this on purpose and HAS NO CONTROL OVER IT!! I had no more control over when and where this would happen to me than I had control over the weather. Do not make a big deal out of it when it happens, but also do not scorn or punish them.
Dear Mr. Wick,
You are describing, I believe, a common phenomenon with children this age. Their sobbing can interfere with a normal breathing pattern, though they do not actually lose consciousness. If you are convinced that your daughter actually loses consciousness, please bring this to the attention of her pediatrician right away.