Faints, fits and funny turns in children
An assessment to work out why a child has had a faint, a fit, or another sudden 'funny turn', and whether it is something simple or needs more tests.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- It is mostly about the story of the event, so a clear description (or a phone video) and an account from someone who saw it matter more than any single test.
- Most faints and funny turns in children are harmless, but a normal assessment cannot promise a particular event will never happen again.
- A heart tracing (ECG) is usually done because a small number of blackouts come from the heart and need spotting.
- Some patterns are red flags: a faint during exercise, with no warning, while lying down, or a family history of sudden unexplained death under 50 — these need urgent heart assessment.
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your specialist will give you advice for your situation.
Helps tell a harmless faint from something that needs treatment, so your child is not over-investigated or wrongly labelled.
A child who is acutely unwell, drowsy, or has a fit that will not stop needs emergency care (999), not a routine clinic appointment.
History, examination and usually an ECG. The doctor often gives an initial impression on the day.
A clear written explanation of what the doctor thinks happened and why.
History, examination and usually an ECG. The doctor often gives an initial impression on the day.
The ECG is usually read in clinic. Simple faints can often be explained and managed without further tests.
If further tests (EEG, blood tests, longer heart monitor) are arranged, results and a plan follow at a review.
Keep a diary and videos. A clearer pattern over time often makes the cause obvious where one visit could not.
What is a 'faints, fits and funny turns' assessment?
Children quite often have sudden events where they go pale, floppy, stiff, jerky, or briefly lose consciousness. Doctors group these together as 'faints, fits and funny turns' because, at the moment they happen, they can look alike but have very different causes.
The assessment is mostly about the story. A children's doctor (paediatrician) will ask in detail what happened before, during and after the event, and will often want an account from someone who saw it. A phone video of an episode is genuinely useful. The doctor will examine your child and usually arrange a heart tracing (an ECG), because a small number of faints come from the heart.
Most 'funny turns' turn out to be harmless. The two most common are simple faints (vasovagal syncope) and, in younger children, breath-holding spells or reflex anoxic seizures. A true epileptic seizure is less common. The job of the assessment is to tell these apart, spot the rare event that needs urgent attention, and avoid labelling a child with 'epilepsy' when they have actually just fainted.
This assessment does not, by itself, treat anything. It is about understanding what happened and deciding what (if anything) needs to happen next.
Types, options & approaches
There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.
Faint or seizure?
| Feature | Simple faint | Seizure |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Often hot, dizzy, blurred vision | May have an odd feeling, or none |
| Position | Usually upright; rare lying down | Can happen in any position |
| Recovery | Quick, within seconds to a minute | Often slow, confused or sleepy after |
| Movements | Brief jerks can happen as they go down | Stiffening or rhythmic jerking is common |
These are general patterns, not rules. Faints can include a few jerks, which is why the full story matters. Your doctor decides, not a checklist.
Preparing for your test
- Write down exactly what happened: what your child was doing, how they looked, how long it lasted, and how they were afterwards.
- Bring a phone video of an episode if you have one — it is one of the most useful things you can show the doctor.
- Ask anyone who saw an event (school, grandparents, a club) to describe it, as the child often cannot remember.
- Note any triggers: standing up, heat, missing meals, pain, fright, illness or fever, or exercise.
- List your child's medicines, and any family history of fainting, epilepsy, heart problems or sudden unexplained death under 50.
- Bring your child's red book / health record and details of any previous events.
- Let the clinic know if your child is generally unwell, not feeding, or you are worried, so they can prioritise.
What happens
The appointment is mostly a detailed conversation. The doctor will take a careful history of the events from you and, where possible, from anyone who saw them, and will ask about your child's development, school, sleep and family history.
They will examine your child, including listening to the heart and checking blood pressure, and will usually arrange a heart tracing (an ECG), which takes a few minutes with sticky pads and is usually not painful. Sometimes a lying-and-standing blood pressure is checked.
Depending on the story, further tests may be suggested — for example an EEG (a recording of the brain's electrical activity) if a seizure is suspected, blood tests, or a longer heart monitor. Not every child needs these. The doctor will explain what they think happened, what is likely harmless, and what (if anything) needs watching or treating.
Is this test right for me?
A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.
May not be suitable if…
- A child who is acutely unwell, drowsy, or has a fit that will not stop needs emergency care (999), not a routine clinic appointment.
- If the story clearly points to a heart cause (collapse during exercise, no warning, family history of sudden death), urgent cardiology assessment is needed rather than a general appointment.
- An EEG is not a screening test for fainting — it is the wrong test when the story is a clear simple faint, and a normal EEG does not rule out epilepsy.
- If a serious infection (such as meningitis or sepsis) is possible, this is an emergency, not an outpatient assessment.
Delay or rearrange if…
- Your child is currently unwell with fever — assess the acute illness first.
- There is no information about the event and no witness or video — a little time to gather a clear account often makes the assessment far more useful.
- There is a safeguarding or social concern that needs addressing alongside the medical question.
- Your child is too distressed to cooperate with tests on the day; these can usually be rearranged.
Alternatives to discuss
- Watchful waiting with a symptom-and-video diary if events are infrequent and the story sounds like simple faints.
- The NHS pathway via your GP, which can arrange the same assessment and tests.
- A heart tracing (ECG) and, if needed, a longer heart monitor where a heart cause is suspected.
- An EEG and neurology review where a seizure is the main concern.
- Simple lifestyle measures (fluids, regular meals, lying down at warning signs) for confirmed simple faints, without further tests.
Before you decide
Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Benefits
- Helps tell a harmless faint from something that needs treatment, so your child is not over-investigated or wrongly labelled.
- Picks up the small number of blackouts that come from the heart and need urgent attention.
- Gives families a clear explanation and practical advice (for example, how to manage simple faints).
- Reduces anxiety when the news is reassuring, and sets out a plan when it is not.
- Avoids an incorrect diagnosis of 'epilepsy', which can affect a child for years.
Risks & complications
- The cause is not always clear after one visit, especially if the events are rare or there is no video.
- Tests like ECGs can show minor findings that need explaining but turn out not to matter.
- Children may find sticky pads or blood tests uncomfortable or upsetting.
- A normal first assessment can give false reassurance if a rare cause is not yet apparent.
- Further tests (EEG, longer heart monitoring) may be needed, meaning more appointments.
- Over-investigation can cause worry and lead to more tests for findings that were never harmful.
- A serious heart-rhythm or neurological cause is occasionally found and needs urgent treatment.
- Very rarely, a dangerous cause of collapse is missed if warning features are not recognised — which is why exercise-related or unprovoked blackouts must be taken seriously.
The most important job is not to miss a heart cause of collapse. Tell the doctor straight away if your child fainted during exercise, fainted with no warning, fainted while lying down, had chest pain or a racing heart beforehand, or if anyone in the family died suddenly and unexpectedly under 50. These features change the urgency.
Published figures to discuss
Numbers vary a lot depending on the type of event, the child's age and how it is investigated. Simple faints are very common and overwhelmingly harmless; heart causes of collapse are uncommon but important. Because the same event can have very different causes, exact percentages for any individual child are misleading, and tests carry false positives (minor findings that turn out not to matter) and false negatives (a normal test does not guarantee nothing will happen again).
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children who faint at least once before adulthood | Around 15 in 100 | Most are simple (vasovagal) faints and are not dangerous; this figure shows how common fainting is, not how often it is serious. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Cardiac red flags | Uncommon but high priority | Fainting during exertion, while lying down, with chest pain/palpitations, or with a family history of sudden death needs urgent cardiac review. | Healthier Together — Seizures and febrile convulsions (parents)sybhealthiertogether.nhs.ukSource-linked context |
| Epileptic seizure mimic | Recognised | Jerking can occur in simple faints; eyewitness detail, recovery time, tongue biting, incontinence and triggers help separate causes. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| False reassurance from one normal ECG | Recognised | A normal ECG is helpful but does not replace a careful history or further testing when red flags are present. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.
What happens afterwards
There is no physical recovery from the assessment itself. 'Afterwards' is mostly about getting results, understanding the cause, and knowing what to do if it happens again.
- Feeling reassured if the story and ECG point clearly to a simple faint.
- Being asked to keep a diary or take videos of any further events.
- Waiting for one or more tests before a firm explanation is given.
- Being given practical advice (fluids, not standing too quickly, lying down at the first warning) for simple faints.
Aftercare
- For simple faints: encourage regular drinks and meals, and teach your child to sit or lie down at the first warning sign.
- Keep a record (and videos) of any further events, including triggers and how long they last.
- Follow any specific advice about activity, swimming or heights while the cause is being worked out.
- Give any prescribed treatment exactly as directed and attend follow-up tests.
- Tell school or nursery what to do if an event happens, and share any agreed plan.
- Know who to contact for results and with new worries.
- Seek urgent help for the warning signs below — do not wait for the next appointment.
- A written description of each event
- Phone videos of any episodes
- An account from someone who witnessed an event
- A list of triggers and timings
- Family history of heart problems or sudden death under 50
- Your child's medicines and red book
- The clinic's contact details for results and questions
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- A fit (convulsion) lasting more than 5 minutes, or one fit running into another without the child waking — call 999.
- A first-ever fit, or a fit in a child who has never had one — get urgent medical advice.
- Difficulty breathing, blue lips, or the child not waking up properly after an event — call 999.
- A faint or collapse that happened during exercise, with no warning, or while lying down.
- Chest pain, or a racing or pounding heartbeat, before or during a blackout.
- A fever with a rash that does NOT fade when pressed with the side of a clear glass — call 999 (possible meningococcal sepsis).
- A child who is drowsy, floppy, very unwell, or hard to wake — get urgent help.
Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your specialist gives you.
Results & realistic expectations
A good outcome is a clear, honest explanation: for most children, that a faint or funny turn is harmless and what to do if it happens again. A normal ECG and a typical fainting story are reassuring, but no test can promise a child will never faint or have an event again.
Where the cause is not yet clear, that is also a legitimate result — it means keeping a record, sometimes more tests, and reviewing over time rather than guessing. A responsible clinician is clear about what has and has not been ruled out.
Many childhood faints and funny turns settle with age — simple faints often improve through the teens, and breath-holding and reflex anoxic spells are usually grown out of. An explanation given now may need revisiting if events change in pattern, become more frequent, or new features appear, so keep your records.
Related tests, treatments or support
Depending on the story, this assessment is sometimes combined with related tests such as a heart tracing (ECG), a longer heart monitor, an EEG, or blood tests for things like low blood sugar or anaemia. Your doctor will only suggest the tests that fit your child's particular events.
Follow-up & long-term care
Follow-up depends on the likely cause. Simple faints may need no follow-up beyond advice. If tests are arranged, you will usually be reviewed once results are back, with a plan and clear advice on what to do if events continue. Always report exercise-related blackouts, chest pain or new warning features straight away rather than waiting.
Repeat, follow-on and what comes next
- It is common to need more than one visit, especially if events are rare or there is no video.
- A normal ECG and assessment may still be followed by further tests (EEG, longer heart monitor) if events continue or change.
- An initial explanation can change as a clearer pattern emerges over time — keeping records matters.
Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.
What good aftercare looks like
- A clear written explanation of what the doctor thinks happened and why.
- A step-by-step plan for what to do if an event happens again, including when to call 999.
- A named contact for results and new worries, and a clear follow-up arrangement.
- Advice for school or nursery where relevant, and a safety-netting plan while the cause is being worked out.
What affects the cost
Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:
- The length and complexity of the appointment, and whether a witness account and video are available.
- Whether a heart tracing (ECG) is done and read on the day.
- Whether further tests are needed, such as an EEG, a longer heart monitor or blood tests.
- Whether a paediatric cardiologist or neurologist opinion is required.
- Follow-up appointments to review test results and agree a plan.
- Any reports or letters for school or other services.
- The paediatrician's appointment fee and how long the appointment is.
- Whether an ECG (and reading) is included or charged separately.
- The cost of any further tests (EEG, heart monitor, blood tests) if recommended.
- Follow-up appointment fees to review results.
- What happens, and what it costs, if the cause is inconclusive and more tests are needed.
- Any fees for letters or reports for school.
On the NHS? Faints and funny turns are commonly assessed on the NHS through your GP and paediatric services; private appointments are sometimes used for speed or a second opinion, but the assessment is the same careful history and tests.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.
Consent traps and marketing red flags
These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.
Consent traps
- Being given a firm diagnosis of 'epilepsy' on the basis of a single event without proper assessment.
- Not being told that a normal ECG or EEG does not rule everything out.
- Missing the heart red flags (exercise, no warning, lying down, family history) because the story was not taken in detail.
- No clear written plan for what to do, and when to call 999, if an event happens again.
Marketing red flags
- Promising a definite diagnosis from one quick test.
- Ordering lots of tests routinely 'to be safe' without a clinical reason, which finds harmless abnormalities and causes worry.
- Labelling every funny turn as epilepsy, or dismissing exercise-related blackouts as 'just a faint'.
- No mention of red-flag features or when to seek emergency help.
Choosing a specialist safely
- Check the specialist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
- Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
- You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the specialist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
- Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
- You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.
- Based on the story, do you think this was a faint, a seizure, or something else?
- Does my child need a heart tracing (ECG) or any heart tests, given how the event happened?
- Are there any features here that worry you about the heart, such as it happening during exercise?
- What should I do, step by step, if it happens again — and when should I call 999?
- Do we need an EEG or any other tests, or can we watch and review?
- Is there anything my child should avoid (swimming, heights, sport) until we know more?
- Who do I contact for the results and if I am worried before the next appointment?
- Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
- Will you be the specialist who carries out my test, and who looks after me afterwards?
- What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
- What does a realistic result look like — and what can this test not achieve?
- What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
- Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
- What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?
Frequently asked questions
Is fainting in children dangerous?
How do doctors tell a faint from a seizure?
Should I video an episode?
Can we get this assessed on the NHS?
My child had a febrile convulsion — does that mean epilepsy?
What should I do if my child has a fit?
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How we made this page
Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →
Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.
Sources & standards: Healthier Together — Seizures and febrile convulsions (parents) NHS — Reflex anoxic seizures and febrile seizures Kingston & Richmond NHS — Syncope (fainting) in children and young people RCPCH — Useful epilepsy resources for children and families Meningitis Now — The glass test for a non-blanching rash
Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.
Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.
Related guides: Epilepsy management in children and young people · Blackout / first seizure assessment · Epilepsy diagnosis and management · Ambulatory ECG (24-hour Holter monitor) · Assessing a suddenly unwell or injured child