Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness caused by the involuntary (autonomic) nervous system. It is usually due to a temporarily insufficient amount of blood in the brain. Fainting can be brought on by pain, physical fatigue, low blood sugar, a disturbing scene, sudden fright, and other strong emotions.
Fainting is common in pre-adolescent and adolescent children. It often occurs after the child has gone without eating for an extended period of time. A partial faint (light-headedness and dizziness) or a complete faint is also common when a teenager abruptly changes position (for example, after jumping up from a reclining or sitting position). It also can occur in a dentist’s chair caused by a combination of pain, anxiety, and turning the head sharply to one side (which places pressure on the carotid artery in the neck).
Just before unconsciousness, the child experiences light-headedness, blurred vision, cold and moist skin (clamminess), and sometimes mild nausea. An observer may notice a paleness or greenish color of the skin and a glazed look in the eyes before the child loses consciousness. Rarely will the child lose control of the urine or stools. Consciousness will be recovered within a few minutes and the child will probably not remember fainting.
The pulse at the wrist may be characteristically feeble and slow or not present at all. The heart beat (place your ear against child’s chest) is slow, usually 50 beats per minute or slower.
Consider the circumstances under which the child fainted. If they were circumstances that typically can cause fainting, and if the child rapidly and completely recovers, this suggests nothing more serious than an isolated spell.
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