Syncope is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness (a loss of postural tone) secondary to reduced blood flow to the brain & recovery is spontaneous.
Pre syncope or near syncope is a ‘feeling of faint’ without actual loss of consciousness. Up to 15% children experience at least one syncopal episode prior to the end of adolescence.
Most children with syncope do not have any serious heart disease.
Simple faint or Vaso-vagal episode is the commonest cause of syncope.
More recently orthostatic intolerance (which refers to the pooling of blood in the lower limbs on standing) has been noticed as another common cause in adolescents
Heart diseases either in the form of a cardiomyopathy or cardiac arrhythmia account for about 2% of children with syncope.
The most common syncope symptoms include:
Syncope can be diagnosed by carrying out a physical exam and a careful review of your child’s and family medical history. Also a detailed history will be taken about your child’s symptoms and syncope episodes.
A series of investigations will be carried out the determine the causes of syncope such as
Any identified cardiac causes need to be treated by medications and monitored closely.
