Consult with your health care professional if you suspect your child’s heart rate to be too fast. A teenager is considered to have tachycardia if their resting heart rate is higher than 100 beats per minute. How that’s defined depends on your child’s age and physical condition.įor example, tachycardia in newborns refers to a resting heart rate that may be faster than that of an older child. Tachycardia can have various causes and refers to a heart rate that’s faster than the normal upper limit. If your child’s doctor suspects this may be the case, he or she may recommend additional tests to evaluate your child’s heart health. Occasionally, premature beats may be caused by disease or injury to the heart. No restrictions on your child’s normal activities should be needed. Even if your child’s premature beats continue for some time, the condition is usually no cause for concern. The premature beats may disappear on their own. Usually no cause can be found, and no special treatment is needed. Premature beats are common in normal children and teenagers. If your child or teenager says their heart “skipped a beat,” it’s typically this more forceful beat that caused that feeling. When a contraction in either chamber occurs prematurely, there’s usually a pause that causes the next beat to be more forceful. Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, start in the ventricles. Premature beats that start in the heart’s upper chambers (atria) are called premature atrial contractions, or PACs. Premature or extra contractions are arrhythmias that can occur in children with structurally normal hearts. Other risk factors, such as an electrolyte imbalance, are best avoided as well. Your child’s doctor may also limit any drugs known to prolong the QT interval. Treatments for LQTS in children include medications, such as beta blockers and surgical procedures such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Your child's doctor may recommend an exercise stress test in addition to an electrocardiogram and genetic testing. If your child experiences fainting episodes, or if your family has a history of fainting or sudden heart-related death, LQTS should be investigated as a potential cause. Children who do have symptoms may experience:Ĭhildren with LQTS may experience a longer-than-normal QT interval during physical activity, when startled by a noise or when experiencing intense emotion such as fright, anger or pain. Symptoms of LQTSĬhildren with LQTS may not have any symptoms. Deafness may also occur with one type of inherited LQTS. Some arrhythmias related to LQTS can cause sudden cardiac arrest and are potentially fatal. Other children may acquire LQTS, sometimes as a side effect of medications. LQTS can be hereditary, appearing in otherwise healthy children. “Long QT Syndrome,” then, means that the time gap between these points on the ECG is too long. The interval between the letters Q and T defines the action of the ventricles. The name for the condition comes from letters associated with the waveform created by the heart’s electrical signals when recorded by an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). When a child has LQTS, the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) take too long to relax after a contraction. Like other arrhythmias, Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is a disorder of the heart’s electrical system. Watch animations of several types of arrhythmias. Diagnostic tests for arrhythmia may also be recommended. These answers can help establish your child’s risk for arrhythmia. You also may be asked about your child’s medical and family history. Your child’s health care professional may ask you or your child questions if they have a hard time describing symptoms. National Hypertension Control InitiativeĪbnormal heartbeats, or arrhythmias, found in adults can also affect children.Pets and Your Health / Healthy Bond for Life.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |