4 year old with suspected vvs struggling for diagnosis in Australia

[rossgad]

My 4 year old has suspected vvs. When he had his four year old vaccination he passed out and was given cpr as the doctor thought his heart had stopped. I cant find any specialists in Australia who deal with this. Can anyone help?

[SyncopeTrust-STARS]

It sounds as if your son experienced an RAS (reflex anoxic seizure). For some children, any unexpected shock or pain or fear can trigger an RAS attack. RAS occurs mainly in young children when unexpected stimulus such as pain, shock or fright can cause the heart and breathing to stop with RAS often being misdiagnosed as breath holding or, more seriously, as epilepsy. This could be the reason your doctor gave CPR as the heart would have stopped albeit for seconds. It is important to know that although RAS is frightening to witness, it is not life threatening. Unfortunately there are still relatively few medical professionals who recognise and understand this condition.

If you would like further information on this condition and receive an RAS booklet please email [e-mail]. Unfortunately it is quite common for a child who has RAS to have an attack when having an injection which is why we suggest warning the child first with the promise of a treat afterwards. This removes the fear and surprise element.

For a diagnosis, your son should be referred to a paediatric cardiologist/electrophysiologist. Do not hesitate to contact STARS if you need further support.