When a doctor places a stethoscope on your child’s chest, sometimes an extra sound can be heard along with the normal lub-dub sounds made by the heart. This extra sound is called a heart murmur. Many parents fear the moment their child is diagnosed with a heart murmur. But relax! There is nothing to worry about as heart murmur is a common condition in children. It is the sound of blood flowing in your heart, similar to the sound of water running down a hose pipe. A heart murmur is not a diagnosis in itself; it might be due to the normal flow of blood or sometimes warn us to check if there is something wrong with the heart.
Types of heart murmur
There are two types of heart murmur
- Innocent or functional heart murmur
- Abnormal or non-innocent heart murmur
An innocent heart murmur is simply the sound of normal blood flowing through the heart. Children are more likely to experience an innocent heart murmur because their heart is positioned near their chest wall. Heart murmur depends on the rhythm of the heart, which can sometimes get louder when they are playing, excited or scared. An innocent heart murmur does not need any treatment or diet. Innocent murmur usually disappears and can’t be heard when your child grows older. If your child is diagnosed with an innocent heart murmur there is nothing to panic as it doesn’t pose any health risks. Your child can play, jump, and run like other children without any type of medication or special care.
Heart murmur should not be always considered as innocent. If your child has a heart murmur, it is important to check for heart problems. Heart murmurs in children can sometimes be caused by structural heart defects, known as congenital heart defects. A hole in the heart or a leaking or narrowed heart valve can also cause a heart murmur. If your doctor suspects that a heart murmur in your child is not an innocent one, you should speak to a pediatric cardiologist right away, who will perform tests such as X-rays, electrocardiograms, or echocardiograms for a thorough examination of your child’s heart.
Diagnosis of heart murmurs
A stethoscope is used to detect a heart murmur during a regular check-up. If it is a congenital defect, it may be heard at the time of birth or during childhood. There are a few tests that can be used to determine if the heart murmur is an innocent or abnormal one. The pediatric cardiologist listens to the heart murmur and records the location, timing, and loudness of the sound. This helps to identify if the heart murmur is innocent or not, as well as the cause of the sound. The cardiologist may ask about any abnormal symptoms such as shortness of breath, blue lips, abnormal growth, and feeding problems.
Based on the physical exam, if the cardiologist believes the heart murmur is due to a congenital heart abnormality, he or she may prescribe a few additional tests to confirm the heart murmur. These tests include ECG (electrocardiogram), Echocardiograms and chest X-rays. Based on the outcome of these tests, the cardiologist decides on the further treatment course.
Treating heart murmurs
As mentioned earlier, a heart murmur isn’t a disease itself. It doesn’t need to be treated unless and until there is an underlying cause that is responsible for it. Your doctor will recommend treatment based on the underlying cause of your heart murmur. In some cases, conditions such as anaemia or hyperthyroidism can be the underlying cause of heart murmur. Treatment of these conditions can make the heart murmur go away. In other cases, if you have a congenital heart defect, your doctor will prescribe medicines or corrective surgery depending on the severity of the defect. If you have a defect in your heart valve, treatment depends on the severity, type and extent of the disease. Changing your lifestyle and taking medicines that reduce symptoms can help to slow down the progression of heart murmur and associated complications.
Whistling while working!
Heart murmur in children is a common condition and does not pose any threat to your child’s life. Your child can play, jump, run and enjoy life like any other child. Murmurs are simply sounds made by the heart when working, just wanting to make its presence felt!
