heart murmur in children

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Q: heart murmur in children
I had to take my almost 3 year old daughter to see a doctor the other night and I was told that she has a heart murmur and should get it checked out. Said it was probably nothing to worry about but check it out just to be safe. Well when i heard “heart”, i sorta stopped listening and starting to panic. I’ve been reading up on heart murmurs and i know some cases are not as bad as it may sound. I guess I’m just looking for some re-assurance until i get to see the pediatrician (sp?).

A: I’ve had a bad heart murmur ever since I was about 3, or at least that is when I found out about it. It has not really affected me at all. It’s nothing to panic over. Just make sure that she stays healthy as in eating a good diet and plenty of exercise. Just go to the doctor and they will explain. Of course every case is different so I’m not going to sit here and tell you not to even worry about it. It is bad, but I don’t think you need to panic about it. I’ve lived with my heart murmur for about 16 years now.

If anything, they may hook her up to an EKG and monitor it, and then if they see something they want to monitor more closely then they will probably hook her up to a monitor that she will have to wear for a couple of weeks. It just depends. Like I said, I’m just speaking from my own personal experience. But I don’t believe it’s anything to panic over.

I hope this makes you relax and feel better. Take care and God Bless.

Q: Heart murmur in 2yr.old daughter, anyone else…?
Anyone found out there toddler had a heart murmur???
She went for her 2yr. old check up today and he heard a heart murmur. She has to go the childrens hosptial to get checked out by a professional next week.
I am really scared.
Anyone know anything about heart murmurs in Children or had a child who had one??
What to expect them to do at the hospital?

A: Heart murmurs can be present at birth or develop later in life. Murmurs are common in infants and children. Nearly two-thirds of heart murmurs in children are produced by a normal, healthy heart and are harmless. This condition is called an innocent heart murmur. It also may be called functional, physiologic, or benign. Innocent heart murmurs are usually very faint, intermittent, and occur in a small area of the chest. They can disappear and reappear from one examination to the next. Most innocent murmurs disappear by adulthood, but some adults may still have them.
Children with these symptoms may be referred to a pediatric heart specialist, called a pediatric cardiologist. The cardiologist will perform a physical examination, review the child’s personal and family medical history, and order tests to evaluate the source of the heart murmur.

The physical exam will be performed to identify signs of illness or physical problems. The child’s blood pressure, pulse, reflexes, and height and weight are measured and recorded. Internal organs are palpated, or felt from the outside, to determine if they are enlarged.

To determine if the child has any conditions or disorders that might increase the risk of a cardiovascular defect, the physician will review the child’s family medical history.

Tests may include a chest x ray, echocardiogram, or electrocardiogram. A chest x ray is used to look at the size, shape, and location of the heart and lungs.

The parent or caregiver should call the child’s pediatrician if the child has these symptoms or conditions, which could be the sign of an underlying heart problem:

* feeding problems in infants
* poor weight gain
* swelling in the ankles or feet
* swollen abdomen
* poor exercise tolerance
* recurrent chest colds and respiratory infections
* abnormal blood pressure
* signs of infection including sore throat, general body aches or fever

The parent or caregiver should seek emergency treatment by calling 911 in most areas when the child has these symptoms or conditions:

* bluish skin tone
* bluish coloration around the lips, fingernail beds, and tongue
* breathing difficulties or rapid breathing
* dizziness or fainting
* uncontrolled coughing or coughing with blood
* irregular heart beats or palpitations (abnormal heart beats that feel like fluttering in the chest)
* chest pain (although rare in children)

Q: heart murmurs in children?
when my son was born they told me he had a small heart murmur…and ever since no one has brought it up, I have had a lot of different doctors listen to his heart and they haven’t said anything. Today I went in to see if his ear infection went away, which it did, but this doctor heard his murmur. He said that when my kid is ready for school he should get a heart ultrasound to make sure he’s okay, and sometimes a quarter of kids need surgery.
I guess I was shocked to hear that someone brought it up, and that he’ll need an ultrasound soon.
Has anyone experienced this? Did it lead to problems? He said it was nothing to worry about now because he is active and healthy but still…
he is 2

A: He should see a pediatric cardiologist just to be on the safe side.

Try not to worry too much, a lot of kids have heart murmurs, but most go away on their own. Just get a follow up and see where you stand with the murmur before getting scared.

I wish you luck, my daughter has a serious birth defect (we’re looking at a possible kidney transplant) so I know what it is like living with a sick kid. You ever need to talk, e-mail me.I’m good for it.

Q: The doctor said my daughter has a heart murmur that is somewhat normal in children?
is there anything i should keep her from doing…or anything i should watch for…and what does this mean exactly?

A: My son had an innocent heart murmur, that has corrected itself with age…. this is what i found online;

It doesn’t mean she has a weak heart or any other health problems. As your toddler’s blood moves through the chambers, valves, and major vessels of his heart, it can make a faint noise. That sound is called a heart murmur.

Depending on what kind of murmur it is, the noise may be vibratory or rumbling, humming, swishing, gurgling, or even musical. (It’s a separate sound from the familiar “lub dub” of the heartbeat.) Most of the time, this noise is diagnosed as an “innocent,” “functional,” “normal,” or “harmless” heart murmur. And almost all children have one at some time or another.

In some cases, the noise is being caused by blood flowing faster or in greater amounts than usual through the heart and vessels. That can happen when a toddler has a fever, for example, or if she’s anemic or has an overactive thyroid. Other times, it’s the result of something structural that doesn’t affect the functioning of the heart — in which case the sound may fade as a child’s body develops and her chest wall thickens.

Innocent childhood heart murmurs usually go away on their own, although some people have them their whole lives. These murmurs require no treatment.

Good luck to you and God bless!

Q: How does a heart murmur affect an unborn child?
I am 26 weeks pregnant with a girl, and I went to the doctor today, only for him to tell me he thinks my baby has a heart murmur because of my last sonogram 2 weeks ago, and he scheduled me for a sonogram in 2 more weeks…. What is a heart murmur? What affect can it have on my unborn baby? I’m terrified, and still have 2 weeks to wait to find out……

A: Its fine. A heart murmer is fine. Some people usually get them later in life. When you hear a heart murmer your blood is making splashs while it running. Alot of people have them. I won’t affect the baby. Trust me.

Q: What is the cause of a heart murmur in a child?

A: Sometimes, the muscle just didn’t mature yet. My son had an ‘innocent’ murmur as a toddler, now as a teen, it is no longer detected.

Q: Heart Murmur in my toddler?
Hi has anyone had experience with a heart murmur in their child? My daughter is 15 months old, at the recent baby clinic the health visitor told me to take her to the GP as all her centiles are curving down. Her head circumference has dropped 4 centiles, her weight has dropped 2.5 centiles to below the 9th and her height has also dropped 2.5 centiles. She eats really well and is not fussy at all. My GP examined her today and he has found a heart murmur so she is being refered to a specialist for more tests. Has anyone else been through this with there child? Also is it possible for it to be passed down from her grandma, she had a part missing on her heart and had an operation as a child, her heart being weak has only allowed her to grow to 4 foot something. Thanks in advance.
Lol no my mother in law (her grandma) is only 4 foot something.

A: my boyfriend had a heart murmur when he was little too.
its actually gone now though.
we have a 13 month old son and he’s fine.
ask your doctor what will happen and if it will eventually go away.

Q: child with heart murmur?
My 7 year old child was diagnosed with an aortic heart murmur 2+ to 3+ in intensity today. In the past, some docs thought they heard a murmur but it was very minor, but usually it was not heard. The doc ended up hearing it VERY loudly today, he said, because she was sick, higher heart rate, easier to hear. He said she definitely needs an echocardiogram. Any advice from nurses/docs out there? Thank you.

A: Children commonly have “innocent” murmurs that can be heard for a couple of reasons – thin chest wall and relative configuration of a child’s heart compared to an adults, causing an “outflow” murmur. Children often grow out of these murmurs.

Your doctor is being prudent in having the matter evaluated with an echocardiogram. I can think of several reasons why you would want to have it evaluated under these circumstances. If the the echo comes back normal, then I would stop worrying – rest assured that this is one of those innocent murmurs that will resolve as your child ages and does NOT require antibiotic pre-treatment for dental procedures, etc.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

Q: my daughter is 9 month old and doctor said that she has a heart murmur i have to go to cardialogist?
he said that heart murmur appears in older children and she is developing fine is it harmfull???

A: Check out the site below…

Q: What exactly is a heart murmur?
My 3 month old son had been diagnosed with a heart murmur. His doctor said that it really wasn’t cause for concern but it I felt more comfortable taking him to a heart doctor, he would be glad to refer me. He explained it to me in medical terms but I have to admit that I still do not quite understand. I know that my father had a heart murmur when he was a child but upon further investigation, it was actually a heart tumor. Knowing this, I am extremely worried and have been up with my son every night afraid to put him down and I dont see the heart doctor until next week so I would like to know more about it maybe from parents of children that have also had heart murmurs. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

A: I looked up the definition and came up with this one as a short explanation.
Heart murmur: An unusual heart sound which may be innocent or reflect disease.

My husband has a heart murmur and it just means that when you listen to his heartbeat, there is an extra little beat there that almost sounds like an echo of the beat before it.
In itself a heart murmur is not life threatening, but it can be a symptom of heart problems.
If your son is breathing fine and has good coloring (is not blue or purple around the lips and eyes and hands, and is not an unusual pale color) than the chances are his heart is working great and the visit to the heart doctor will confirm good health.

Q: heart murmur?
I recently found out from doctor that my 3 week and 4 days old daughter has a heart murmur, not sure how bad shes will be seen in 2 days about it, im so freaked out about it this is my first baby and not that sure what it even is, i was told she had it after birth also but they let us go after 3 days in the hospital so i guess they wasnt worried about it too much just told me to get her checked again in a few weeks, omg this is kinda scary i heart its common in small child tho? has anyone experience this with their babies? what bad can it do to them? what should i look out for the mean time?

A: I had a heart murmur for like 10 years, it didn’t cause any problems, and then it just kind of went away. I hope it’s the same for your daughter

Q: Does anyone know anything about “heart murmur’s” in children!!!?
Any information would be appreciated…
THANK YOU “a”..
it’s my granddaughter…she was born at 26 weeks…just to soon…I just found out and now I am flipping out.!!
Elise is 12…it was found in a routine check up…echocardiogram next week…
and James is doing great…!!! alot of scabs on that boy!!
I am having a hard time picking a B/A…

A: My son has one as a result of too many strep infections as a toddler. Ditto my sister and rheumatic fever.

Most are “innocent” Kerilyn, and of no concern or consequence. Neither my sister nor son are bothered by theirs. If the child’s doctor is not concerned, then there’s no need for worry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_murmur

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/murmurs.html

ps … hope your son is well and recovering nicely.

Q: whatt is a heart murmur in a child and should I be worried?

A: a murmur need not always be so serious. there are varried reasons. if an infant developes a murmur it can be caused by a growth spurt where the body develops faster and the heart hasnt caught up to the bodies new demands. thats called an innocent murmer. they fix themselves with out medication/surgery in time. -generally within 6 months.

Q: What could be the cause of a systolic heart murmur in a child?
Iv just been told my son has a short systolic heart murmur, hes been referred to a paediatric cardiologist but would like a little bit more info before then please before I go crazy. Does anyone have any experience of these things?
hes 6 years old
I was feeling quite reassured with the answers until Dr Sangani commented, I din’t sleep at all last night. I’ve spent the past few days trawling the internet but it hasn’t really helped. I think for my own peace of mind I should listen to the first answers and cross any bridges when I come to them.

A: Many children have heart murmurs, they don’t usually represent pathology. I agree with Dr. Frank that it’s important not to freak out at this stage.

Heart murmurs can be produced by turbulent blood flow within the heart and great vessels. Most are caused by normal variations within the structure of the heart. It always needs investigating because occasionally murmurs can represent pathology and be caused by problems with the heart valves or holes between the pumping chambers. The tests your son will have will exclude this possibility.

He likely has an innocent murmur which basically means that even though there may be an abnormality within the heart causing the murmur, unless it’s effecting the hearts performance, it is a normal variation and no action needs to be taken. Most innocent murmurs occur because blood is being pumped faster than normal or usual. Some murmurs are only audible under certain conditions, for example if you have a high fever, or a fast heart rate. In children, heart murmurs are often audible or become louder when they exercise or get excited.

It sounds like he has what we call “Stills” murmur, which is the most common innocent murmur in children (usually detectable between the ages of 3-6 years). This is a short, midsystolic murmur. The murmur is of short duration. As I said, he has referred him to a specialist to confirm the sound he heard on examination wasn’t a small ventricular septal defect (which is sometimes hard to distinguish) and to exclude other abnormalities. Try not to worry.
=========================================

EDIT:
Bad answer dr Sangani. The most common cause is benign. As a cardiac surgery resident, there is absolutely no excuse for that incorrect answer.

EDIT
I’m sorry you were unable to sleep last night. This is exactly why people who do not have the correct medical knowledge, should avoid giving medical advise. dr sangani’s answer was incorrect, what he suggested is not the most likely scenario. Please try not to worry. Even IF your son did have that defect, the procedure to rectify it is very successful with minimal risks nowadays.
Best wishes.

(Caveat: there is a sad troll going around giving TD to all the cardiology answers that Frank and I give, just ignore it, they will get bored after awhile)

Q: I keep getting chest pains i have a history of heart murmur?
i keep getting chest pains – it feels like someone is sitting on my chest making it hard and very painful to breathe. I can get this when i am just walking along the street or in class even sitting down. I was diagnosed with a heart murmur as a child could this be anything to do with it?
i haven’t had these pains for years (i had them when i was about 9 and had a lot of tests to find out about my murmur). i am a healthy 21 year old at university (but not stressed)
i don’t get the pains everyday but they are becoming more frequent.
Should i see my doctor or is this normal for heart murmurs?

A: Chest pain is a symptom of a number of serious conditions and is generally considered a medical emergency. Frequent Chest pain is one of the most frightening symptoms a person can have.

Having sharp stinging pain in the lower part of your heart. A common cause of frequent chest pain is called Stable Angina: a chest pain or discomfort that typically occurs with activity or stress. The pain usually begins slowly and gets worse over the next few minutes before going away. It quickly goes away with medication or rest, but may happen again with additional activity or stress.

Stable angina is also called chronic angina. The most common symptom is chest pain that occurs behind the breastbone or slightly to the left. It may feel like tightness, heavy pressure, squeezing, or crushing pain. The pain may spread to shoulder, arm, jaw, neck, back, or other areas. Some people say the pain feels like gas or indigestion.

Frequent Chest pain: The list of potential causes in long and may take a little bit of time to determine the precise cause. I am not a doctor, but you don’t have to give up. Do not stop; continue or go to see your doctor regularly; you sound very anxious too! Anxiety attacks can cause chest pains too.You might suffer from Anxiety or Panick attack.
In conclusion I suggest encouraging yourself to be more open to your doctor,a good Internal Medicine doctor should be able to work through the potential causes of your symptoms: chest pains.

Take care as always!

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