heart murmurs in children?

Answer 1

Many children, and adults are diagnosed with heart murmurs. Generally they are not a health risk, and need no treatment. If your child's doctor is not concerned, you should not be either. If you feel more comfortable, seek a second opinion. Try to avoid becoming overly protective. Many children, and adults with heart murmurs enjoy active, healthy, long lives.

Answer 2

Heart murmurs in children are not serious often.. Up to 10% of all children have a heart murmur. Some murmurs are "innocent", or functional" as againt "organic " in a few.
In most children the functional murmur represents the noise made by the blood as it passes through a child's rapidly beating and growing heart. Children's heart rates are much quicker than adults. A newborn's heart rate for example, is about 120-140 per minute, as compared to the average adult rate of 72 beats per minute.
An innocent murmur is not dangerous and poses no problems at all. However, more rarely an "organic murmur" can signify a problem such as leaky or defective heart valves or chambers (ventricles or atria). In most children, a simple physical examination can confirm that the murmur is functional. A functional murmur usually changes in its sound intensity under varying circumstances; The murmur becomes louder when the heart beast faster, for example during a fever , physical activity, changes in body position or if the child is nervous. On the other hand, innocent murmurs become less intense or softer when a child is sleeping or calm. Also, there are no symptoms of heart problems. Symptoms of possible heart problems (known as cardiac or heart symptoms) in children include:


Blue lips and/or fingers
Poor feeding
Difficulty with exercise



In most cases a pediatrician or GP can easily diagnose a functional murmur just by the absence of cardiac symptoms and a normal physical examination. However, some children may require special tests. An ECG(Electrocardiogram) and an Echocardiogram(ultrasound of the heart) are the 2 most commonly performed. In most children, these tests are normal

Answer 3

A heart murmur is simply an extra sound heard when listening to the heart. The normal sounds a heart makes are from the valves closing.
If there is turbulence, or disturbance, in the flow of blood through the heart or major blood vessels around the heart, a murmur may be heard.
Heart murmurs can generally be divided into two categories:

Murmurs that are not due to structural problems in the heart also called "innocent murmurs" or "functional murmurs." These murmurs do not usually require multiple follow-up visits with a cardiologist.
Murmurs which are due to a structural problem of the heart (such as a hole in the heart, a narrowed heart valve or a leaky heart valve). These murmurs require further evaluation and follow-up with a cardiologist.

Answer 4

Many normal children have heart murmurs, but most children do not have heart disease. An appropriate history and a properly conducted physical examination can identify children at increased risk for significant heart disease. Pathologic causes of systolic murmurs include atrial and ventricular septal defects, pulmonary or aortic outflow tract abnormalities, and patent ductus arteriosus. An atrial septal defect is often confused with a functional murmur, but the conditions can usually be differentiated based on specific physical findings. Characteristics of pathologic murmurs include a sound level of grade 3 or louder, a diastolic murmur or an increase in intensity when the patient is standing. Most children with any of these findings should be referred to a pediatric cardiologist.