today my baby is 1 week old..i went to the doctor and they said he has a heart murmur...?

Question

is he going to be ok....what exactly is that

Answer 1

I actually have a heart murmur, too, and it isn't anything bad or live-threatening (as far as my doctor tells me). A lot of people have it, actually. According to the dictionary:

Heart murmur - n. an abnormal sound of the heart; sometimes a sign of abnormal function of the heart valves.

Also:

"More than half of all children have a heart murmur at some time in their lives and most heart murmurs don't mean anything is wrong. Doctors may call these "innocent", "functional," or "normal" murmurs. They are caused by blood rushing through the valves in a normal heart and are nothing to worry about."

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/heart/heart_murmurs.html

So, I guess, heart murmurs aren't always permanent.

Congrats on the child!


Now and then,
the Gibbler

Answer 2

Although many parents fear the worst when their child is diagnosed with a heart murmur, it's important to know that this diagnosis is actually extremely common. In fact, many kids are found to have a heart murmur at some point during their lives. Most murmurs are not a cause for concern and do not affect the child's health at all.
By itself, the term heart murmur isn't a diagnosis of an illness or disorder; but to understand what it does mean, it's important to know how the heart works.
The heart is divided into four chambers; two are on the left side of the heart and two are on the right. The blood returning from the body is pumped to the lungs where it's oxygenated, then pumped through the arteries to the rest of the body. After the oxygen has been used, the blood returns to the heart through the veins and is pumped through the lungs again.
The word murmur describes a swishing sound made as the blood flows through any of the heart's chambers or valves or even through a hole within the heart.
A murmur is heard through a stethoscope as the heart beats. Because a child's heart is very close to the chest wall, subtle noises can be heard more easily. However, sometimes a doctor won't be able to hear a child's heart murmur unless the child is sitting quietly. Though they can also be heard in younger infants, heart murmurs are most commonly discovered when the child is between 2 and 4 years old. Some doctors think this is because most children have had time to become familiar with their doctor and are more quiet and cooperative during the exam.

Heart murmurs are rated on a scale from 1 to 6. Grade 1 is barely audible, whereas grade 6 is very loud. Your child's doctor may also note where in the heart the murmur is, what type of noise it's making (for example, whether it's a harsh or blowing sound), where it occurs in the heartbeat cycle, and whether it changes when your child moves to different positions. After this initial discovery, your child's doctor may refer your child to a pediatric cardiologist if further evaluation is necessary.

Because of the common misconception that all heart murmurs are serious, it's important for parents to understand which type of murmur their child has and if it needs further evaluation.
hope this helps-good luck with your baby.

Answer 3

Heart murmurs
Introduction

A normal heartbeat makes two sounds like "lub-DUB," which are the sounds of your heart valves closing. Heart murmurs are abnormal sounds during your heartbeat — such as whooshing or swishing — made by turbulent blood in or near your heart.

Heart murmurs can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later in life. A heart murmur isn't a disease — but murmurs may indicate an underlying heart problem.

Most heart murmurs are harmless and don't need treatment. Doctors call these functional or "innocent" murmurs. A person with an innocent murmur has a normal heart. This type of heart murmur is common in newborns and children. More than half of all children have heart murmurs at some time, and most of those murmurs are innocent.

An abnormal heart murmur is more serious. In children, abnormal murmurs are usually the result of congenital heart disease. In adults, abnormal murmurs are most often due to acquired heart valve problems.

A doctor can evaluate heart sounds by listening to your heart with a stethoscope — and sometimes will have you undergo other tests to help determine the cause. Treatment, if needed, is directed at the underlying cause of your heart murmurs.

Answer 4

I can't tell you if your baby is going to be OK, but what I can tell you is that a heart murmur is a relatively common thing. I know many people with this condition and they live normal lives, unaffected by their condition. I would ask your doctor for more information on the murmur and join a support group. You can find lots on the internet, especially on Yahoo. Just go to groups and search under "heart murmur". Stay strong, it's hard having a newborn, especially when they have medical conditions. I will tell you that your baby will more than likely grow up just fine.

Answer 5

a heart murmur in infants is basically a whooshing sound the dr hears and it is due to a vein or artery (not aorta) that is a lil tighter than normal around a heart. That is the most common murmur for infants, and normally corrects itself as the child and the veins grow. In adulthood a murmur is tighten of a valve, that can be more serious and may need treatment for widening the valve. So I would not worry at all.

Answer 6

If it is an innocent murmur your baby should be fine. My baby also had one. He had a ultrasound when he was about 2 or 4 months old. I was told there was nothing wrong with him. When he was about 2 yrs old and had his check up the doc didn't mention it so I asked him about it . He listened to his heart again and said it was gone. He is 4 now. Good luck with your new baby and congrats!

Answer 7

My son had one too, doctor called it a functional murmur. Of course he set us up for testing when he was 6 months old, and again at 2 years, but all is fine.

Answer 8

i am sure your baby is going to be fine. i found out i had a heart murmur last year and this year it was gone. The doctor said that was normal. Heart murmurs uselly go away on there own. Yuor baby is going to be fine.

Answer 9

It's pretty common. All it is is just an abnormal or unusual heart sound. (like a bah-dah-bump instead of a patump) Did your pediatrician suggest you take your son to a pediatric cardiologist? If not, then call him and ask for a recommendation.

Many kids outgrow them. Some of them need to have antibiotics before any dental work, but seeing a pediatric cardiologist would be wise. They're probably want to recheck him every couple of months until he's bigger, then once a year.

Answer 10

I had a heart murmur when I was born. I am now 33 years old and very healthy with no heart problems. Here's some more info:

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