![]() In some cases, they can be a sign of an underlying medical problem or heart condition. Occasional premature beats are common and considered normal. The heart doesn’t actually skip a beat - an extra beat comes sooner than it should. These premature contractions are very common and are what happens when it feels like the heart “skips” a beat. Your child may feel a fluttering or pounding in the chest caused by an early or extra beat. Premature contractions (atrial or ventricular) are typically minor arrhythmias.It’s often caused by a congenital heart defect, but also can be caused by disease, surgery or injury. Heart block, when electrical impulses can’t make their way from the upper to lower chambers of the heart.It may occur after surgery to correct a congenital heart defect. Bradycardia can be caused by: Sinus node dysfunction, when the heart’s sinus node isn’t working correctly. Bradycardia, an abnormally slow heart rate.There are several types of arrhythmias, including: In these cases, the arrhythmia may be found only during a physical examination or heart function test. Irregular heartbeat or palpitations (a feeling of fluttering or pounding in the chest)Īrrhythmias can be constant, but most come and go at random.If the body doesn’t get the supply of blood it needs to run smoothly, a person might have: When it beats too slowly or irregularly, it can’t pump enough blood out to the body. When the heart beats too fast, its chambers can’t fill with enough blood. Symptoms of Irregular Heartbeat in ChildrenĪrrhythmias make the heart beat less effectively, interrupting blood flow to the brain and the rest of the body. Trained athletes usually have a lower resting heart rate, so a slow heart rate for them isn’t considered abnormal if it doesn’t cause symptoms. An older child or adult with a slow heart rate, for example, might have symptoms when the heart rate drops below 50 beats per minute. Children by age 12: 55 to 85 beats per minuteĪ doctor can determine whether a heart rate is abnormally fast or slow, depending on a person’s situation.Children ages 1 to 3: 70 to 110 beats per minute.Babies (birth to age 3 months): 100 to 150 beats per minute.The resting heart rate - how fast the heart beats when a person is not engaged in activity - decreases as children get older. A “normal” heart rate differs depending on age and lifestyle and other factors. The heart rate is the number of heart beats per minute. Irregular heartbeat in children can be congenital (present at birth) or develop later in life. Use of illegal drugs, alcohol or tobaccoĪrrhythmias can be temporary or permanent.Medicines (prescription, over-the-counter and some herbal remedies).Injuries to the heart from chest trauma or heart surgery.Irregular heartbeat in children can be caused by: Sometimes the electrical signals don’t communicate properly with the heart muscle, and the heart can start beating in an abnormal rhythm - this is an arrhythmia. The sinus node will speed up the heart rate in response to things like exercise, emotions and stress, and slow the heart rate during sleep. The sinus node acts as the heart’s natural pacemaker, making sure the heart beats at a steady rate most of the time. What Causes Arrhythmias?Ī unique electrical system in the heart causes it to beat in its regular rhythm. The electrical signals start from a group of cells located in the right atrium. Many arrhythmias don’t need medical care, but some can cause health issues and need to be evaluated and treated by a doctor.Īt Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, electrophysiologists work closely with specially trained nurses and technicians in the electrophysiology laboratory to fully evaluate, treat and often cure irregular heartbeat in children. This uneven pumping activity can lead to a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness and chest pain. The heart normally beats in a consistent pattern, but an arrhythmia can make it beat too slowly, too quickly or irregularly. Most arrhythmias are caused by an electrical “short circuit” in the heart. Both terms describe an abnormal heart rhythm. Arrhythmia in children also is called an irregular heartbeat.
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