The term used to describe a racing heart is "heart palpitations." Your child might have palpitations for a number of reasons. Palpitations are actually common and in many cases are not dangerous, according to Cincinnati Children's Hospital. However, always be concerned if the palpitations are associated with other symptoms. A visit to your doctor is the best way to determine the cause and significance of your child's racing heart.
Identification
If your child says her heart is pounding or "racing" with a sudden start and stop, she may have a supraventricular tachycardia, or STV, which relates to the four chambers in your child's heart. The lower two are called the ventricles and the top two are called the atria. Your child's heart has a complex electrical system that causes the muscle walls of the ventricles and atria to pump blood. A normal heartbeat starts in the right atrium when the heart's pacemaker, a group of cells known as the sinus node, sends an electrical signal.
However, your child might have extra connections in her heart's electrical system that speed up her heart rate. These are called STVs, and usually arise in your child's upper heart chambers. According to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, this type of fast heartbeat is usually a nuisance rather than a dangerous condition. STVs most often happen in distinct episodes. The time frame and frequency can vary from person to person, according to Seattle Children's Hospital.
Significance
STV is the top cause of heart rhythm issues in kids, according to Seattle Children's Hospital. In fact, one in every 250 U.S. children experience it. It often goes away before age 1. When it does not, the chances that it will cease on its own are low, according to Seattle Children's Hospital. If your child's fast heartbeats go on for hours at a time, STV is cause for concern because his heart can become fatigued. In some cases, a child with STV will just need monitoring by a medical provider. In others, medication may be prescribed.
Sinus Tachycardia
Another benign and normal condition is called sinus tachycardia. This occurs when a child's heart speeds up in response to stress or exercise, according to Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Some children and teens are aware of these rapid heartbeats. If your child describes a "skipping" of her heart, she may be having premature atrial contractions, or PACs, or premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs. These conditions don't usually require therapy but avoiding things that exacerbate them like caffeine is recommended. If they happen enough to hinder daily living, medications can be prescribed. PACs and PVCs can happen when areas of the heart other than the sinus node send signals that activate the heart's electrical system. The beats happen earlier than they would have with the heart's natural pacemaker, hence they are called premature or early beats.
Causes for Concern
Some fast heart rhythms originate from the heat's ventricles. Your child might have a ventricular tachycardia if he experiences fainting in association with his racing heart. In this case, have him evaluated by a physician immediately, recommends Cincinnati Children's Hospital. With a ventricular tachycardia, the pulse is faster than 100 beats per minute and has at least three irregular heartbeats in a row. Ventricular tachycardia sometimes causes no or few symptoms; however, it can cause sudden cardiac death, according to the National Institutes of Health. Treatment will vary depending on your child's symptoms and needs to be supervised by a doctor.
Ebstein's Anomaly is another condition that requires medical attention. This is a rare heart defect that most often is apparent shortly after your child is born. However, with a mild defect symptoms may be more gradual, according to Children's Hospital Boston. In addition to abnormal heart rhythms, other symptoms can include extra heart sounds or heart murmurs, fatigue, shortness of breath, fast breathing, lung congestion or a blue skin color. Kids who have a mild form of this defect can be treated with medicine. If it is more severe, surgery is required.
Expert Insight
It is important to seek a doctor's help if your child has palpitations. Provide a good medical history at your child's exam to help the doctor determine the cause of his palpitations. Your doctor may conduct a cardiac exam. Depending on the results, your child also may need an electrocardiogram. In some cases, children must wear a portable monitor for 24 hours.
