What term describes a situation where a 3-year-old becomes pale and sweaty, briefly stops breathing and loses consciousness?

The situation described is most accurately characterized as a pallid breath-holding spell. Breath-holding spells typically occur in young children, usually in response to a stimulus such as fear or pain. During these episodes, the child may exhibit signs of distress, which can lead to a brief cessation of breathing, loss of consciousness, and pallor due to the body's response to hypoxia.

Pallid breath-holding spells are characterized by a child becoming pale and sweaty, as well as experiencing a brief loss of consciousness when they stop breathing. These spells can be alarming for caregivers but are generally benign and self-limiting in nature.

Other terms, while they might seem similar, do not capture the specific characteristics of the situation as well. Syncopal episodes often refer to a general loss of consciousness due to decreased blood flow to the brain, while vasovagal syncope is a form of syncope resulting from a reflex that causes a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure. Breath-holding syndrome, while somewhat related, does not adequately convey the context of the child's color changes or sweating that indicates distress leading to loss of consciousness.

In summary, the correct term for this scenario is a pallid breath-holding spell, as it encompasses the key features